X-men the next mutation: The magneto saga
by theimortalone
Summary: The entire 13 chapter saga. The return of an old friend coming soon.


X-men the next mutation: The magneto saga.  
  
Chapter 1: The beginning  
  
In the future the X-men are no more. Instead a world where intense mutant hating creates a dangerous environment for all mutants. A new team of mutants calling themselves the nex-men comes from the ashes of the previous x-men to bring peace and unity as the late Professor X wanted. These mutants are:  
  
John Masters: He can manipulate the quantum field and make himself appear anywhere he wants.  
  
Mary Johnson: All her energy is concentrated in her fingers. The only way she can control this power is with specially made gloves. She can also heal people but this is not a mutant power.  
  
Anita Barton: She has a strong telekinetic power and can throw out strong waves of mind power that can take apart almost everything or throw people away.  
  
Spaz: He can control machines by the touch. But can he be trusted?  
  
Ifrix and Watrix: Twins that control two elements. Ifrix controls fire and Watrix controls water.  
  
Now a new threat has arisen. One that is old to the last team. The next-men must now save the world from Magneto's evil plans. But does the world want to be saved by mutants?  
  
"The year is 2060. The war between the good X-men and the evil Magneto and his evil mutants comes to a climax that nearly destroys everything."   
  
Humans run in fear as Cyclops and Magneto trade shots. The shots are bounced around and nearly demolish buildings.  
  
"A group that have always been known as mutant haters rose up in popularity as well as the mutant fear among the 'normals'"  
  
"These X-men are a threat to us all. We must get rid of them now while we still can." A man says.  
  
The crowd yells in agreement.  
  
"A mutant hater was elected the president and the future of mutants seemed bleak."   
  
"I am passing a law against mutants being free. From now on they will be ordered to submit to this collar that will suppress their free will and their powers." The president says holding up a collar.  
  
The X-men refused to submit and tried to take out the suppression centers.  
  
Cyclops leads a group of x-men in an attack against a mutant suppression center.  
  
"Unknown to any of them, there was a traitor in their midst. The center knew they were coming long before they started that attack. The attack was easily squashed. The x-men were captured and forced to tell where the others are."  
  
"I won't tell you." Scott yells.  
  
A shock runs through his body and he screams.   
  
"Eventually all known X-men are executed. And the security agency entrusted in mutant suppression is given orders to shoot to kill any X-men that are seen. Citizens are ordered to call for security if they are ever a witness to a citizen with mutant powers."  
  
"Only non x-mutants are allowed to live. The X-men have proved to be too dangerous to be allowed to live." The president says.  
  
"These 'x-mutants' are any mutants that are powerful enough and a threat to the ideals of the president. The term was named after the x-men that were the first real threat the ideals. Scott is forced to watch as his team is executed one by one. Then he himself is executed as his lifeless hand drops his visor to the ground, never to use it again.  
  
2080.  
  
A homeless woman is lying in filth calling out for help. But nobody stops to help her. One guy stops but just spits on her and kicks her.  
  
"Please. I need food. Any food." The woman begs.  
  
She looks over at a trashcan and wonders if it has anything edible in it. It wouldn't be the first time she has ever had to resort to eating trash. She would probably be dead by now if she hadn't. She tries to stand up but can't. She falls back down and cries. She is too weak to stand anymore. It's been too long since her last meal.   
  
She reaches out towards the can as if she can reach it from here. Suddenly the can shakes and slowly slides across the ground towards her. That surprises her. The can tips over and all the contents spill near her. She hungrily searches for food. Unknown to her, a woman witnesses the can's movements.  
  
"Mutant!" The woman screams pointing to her.  
  
"Huh. Mutant? Where?" The vagrant asks.  
  
Suddenly a bunch of armored officers appear out of nowhere and draw their weapons.  
  
"Freeze mutant." They yell.  
  
"What? I am not a mutant. I am just a lonely woman with no home." The vagrant says holding up her hands.  
  
The officer pulls out a scanner and scans the woman.  
  
"Yep she has the mutant gene. One of the most powerful ones I have seen." The officer says.  
  
"You are under arrest." The other officer says.  
  
"What are you gonna do to me?" The vagrant asks scared.  
  
"We won't hurt you. That is if you don't resist." The first officer responds.  
  
The second one steps forward and puts energy cuffs on the woman. He then puts a headband on her head.  
  
"There. That will suppress powers of her strength." He says.  
  
Meanwhile deep beneath the city streets lies a secret place. In it two people, a man and a woman are training for something. The man concentrates really hard and then disappears and reappears somewhere else. The woman takes off her gloves and points her fingers at a target. Beams of energy shoot from her fingers and incinerate the target. She puts her gloves back on. An alarm goes off.  
  
"What's going on." The woman asks.  
  
"A mutant needs your help. One that shows tremendous possibilities to be a warrior." A mystery woman says walking into the room.  
  
"You want us to take on mutant suppressors? Are we ready to do something like that?" The man asks.  
  
"Yes I believe you are. I have been training you for months now." The mysterious woman says.  
  
"Okay where is this mutant." The man asks.  
  
The mysterious woman gives them directions and they take off. They follow the underground tunnels until they come up to the closest surface entrance. They look around.   
  
"This is John. I don't see the target here." John says.  
  
"They must have already taken her to a suppression center." The woman over the communicator says.  
  
"Oh no Gray. I know what you are gonna say and forget it. I agreed to facing a few suppression officers but I will not go into a center." John says.  
  
"You two are a great team but we are gonna need more if we are to stop the mutant suppression." Gray says.  
  
John rolls his eyes.  
  
"I believe in you. You can do it." Gray says.  
  
"I must be crazy or something cause I am gonna go for it." John says.  
  
"I will too. The more people we have on our team, the better chance we have of seeing our dreams come true." The woman says.  
  
They get the coordinates of the local center and head for it.  
  
"We must keep our powers a secret for as long as we can. Any ideas on how we can get in there." John asks.  
  
"Can you leap yourself into there?" The woman asks.  
  
"No. They have mutant power suppression. I have not tried my manipulation of the quantum field in a suppression zone. I might not be able to come back." John says.  
  
They are thinking when a couple of officers come around the corner. The two hide around the next corner and prepare to jump them. The officers walk forward, not knowing what is waiting for them. John and the woman jump them and knock them out. They put their outfits on and take their id's.  
  
"No good. These are picture ids. They will know we aren't the right ones." The woman says.  
  
"I think I can manipulate the pictures to look like us." John says.  
  
He concentrates and touches the ids. Nothing happens at first but his hands glow and the picture change to show John and his partner.  
  
"Wow that is amazing." The woman says.  
  
"Yeah. I still seem to have abilities that I don't know yet." John says.  
  
They walk up to the door and slide their cards in the slots.  
  
"Retinal scan." A voice says.  
  
"Oh no. It's over now." The woman groans.  
  
"No wait." John says.  
  
He rushes over to the downed officers and touches their eyes. His eyes change to each officer's eye. One eye to each officer. The partner gasps when she sees John with two different colored eyes. John walks up and puts his left eye on the scanner. Then his right when it asks for the second officer's retinal scans. The door opens up and they walk in.  
  
"Now where would they keep a mutant." John wonders.  
  
"Why don't we ask." The woman asks.  
  
John tries to stop her but she gets away and walks up to a sentry.  
  
"You all wouldn't know where those bad little mutants are kept now would you?" She says in a sexy voice.  
  
"You are an officer aren't you? How come you don't know?" The sentry asks.  
  
"I'm like new here. They haven't told me that yet and I was hoping you would be nice enough to help little old me." The woman responds.  
  
"I will have to ask my commander." The man says.  
  
The woman reaches up and brushes her hands on the sentry's face. She also reaches forward and puts her lips seductively close to his.  
  
"Now you don't have to go and do that. I am sure a big boy like you can make your own decision." The woman says even more seductively.  
  
"Uh. Okay. But I will have to report this though." The sentry says.  
  
He gives the woman a scanner and sets it to show where the mutant holding cells are. She takes it. She and John head towards the location. Along the way John and his partner hold up their id's to any sentries they come on. They enter the holding area and search for their target. John looks around and takes out his scanner. He walks a bit down and zeroes on the homeless woman.  
  
"That's her. That's the mutant that was taken." John says.  
  
"But there are a whole bunch of mutants being held here." The woman says.  
  
"Yeah but Gray told us to get her and her only." John says.  
  
They push a button and the field goes down.  
  
"No. Leave me alone. I am not a mutant." The vagrant yells.  
  
"Don't worry. We are here to help you." John says.  
  
"You are gonna get me out of here?" The vagrant asks.  
  
"Yeah. We are gonna pretend that we are moving you to another center. Just act calm." John says.  
  
The vagrant nods and stumbles forward. John and his partner help her up  
  
"Man she is weak." The woman says.  
  
They exit the holding area and head for the entrance. The entrance sentry looks up at them.  
  
"Hold it. What are you doing with that mutant?" The sentry asks.  
  
"Uh we are bringing her to another center." John responds.  
  
"I don't remember hearing anything about that. Let me call my commander." The sentry says.  
  
John steps forward and slugs the sentry really hard. The sentry pushes the alarm button before blacking out.  
  
"Let's get out of here." John yells.  
  
They can't go fast with the vagrant between them.  
  
"We will never make it out of here with her like this." John says.  
  
"I think my healing powers may help her. They aren't because of my mutant gene. My parents taught me healing techniques using my mind." Mary says.  
  
Mary takes off her gloves and touches the vagrant. A transfer of energy happens and the vagrant stands up on her own.  
  
"Thank you." The vagrant says.  
  
They rush outside and a bunch of security guards are waiting. Mary takes off her gloves and fires at the guards but they have some kind of a personal shield that absorbs her shots.  
  
"It's up to you. You are mutant. Use whatever your power is to help here." John says.  
  
The vagrant looks at the soldiers angrily and throws her hands forward. The guards suddenly get thrown backwards violently.  
  
"Wow. So your power is of the mind." Mary says smiling.  
  
"Stop mutants." A robot known as a sentinel says.  
  
"Darn it. We aren't powerful enough to take on one of those." John yells.  
  
The woman takes off her gloves and blasts the sentinel with all her power. But the sentinel doesn't even faze.  
  
"Mutant refusal to be suppressed warrants force." The sentinel says.  
  
A gun appears in its hands and it immediately fires on the three. They are forced behind a barrier made of a strong enough material to take a beating.  
  
"Now what?" John yells.  
  
The vagrant stands up and John tries to pull her down but can't. She stares at the sentinel with a look of hatred.  
  
"My life was okay before I found out I had these powers. True I didn't have anything to eat and I had no home. But I was free and allowed to live my life. Now because of the people that made you, I have no freedom." The vagrant yells.  
  
A huge blast of mental energy hits the sentinel and blows it into pieces. But the pieces begin to come back together.  
  
"Hurry Mary. Use your powers to liquefy the parts so they can't reform." John yells.  
  
Mary rushes over and takes her gloves off once more. She focuses all her energy into one big blast at the moving parts. After a few seconds the parts liquefy and disappear. She puts her gloves back on.  
  
"Okay. Let's head back to home base before more of those things come after us." John yells.  
  
They rush to the surface entrance and make their way back to their home.  
  
"Welcome to my world. If you choose to, I will train you to be part of a team of heroes. Our mission is simple, to give mutants back the freedom they deserve as human beings. Will you let me train you?" Gray asks.  
  
"Yes. I want my freedom back. I will do anything." The vagrant responds.  
  
"I am proud to introduce the 3rd member of the nex-men." Gray says.  
  
Meanwhile in the main mutant center, a man is sitting in the chair. A man that is leading the mutant suppression He is watching the video of the mutant battle against the sentinel.  
  
"So the are powerful mutants still out there. I will not let them foil my plans for humanity." The man says.  
  
He leans forward into the light, revealing a familiar face.  
  
"I Magneto and only Magneto will rule this world." Magneto says.  
  
  
Chapter 2: The jacker  
  
A man parks his car and gets out. He locks the door and walks in a nearby building. A young man is standing around the corner watching. When the man is in the building he walks up the car. He once again looks around. When he sees nobody looking, he puts his hand on the door and the latch opens up. The gets in the car and closes the door. He then puts his hand on the dashboard and the car starts.   
  
"Hah hah hah." He laughs as he drives away.   
  
The owner runs out of the building.  
  
"Help police. My car has been stolen." The man yells.  
  
The car thief is driving along smiling. Suddenly a police car siren goes off and he sees a car right behind him.  
  
"Oh man." The guy says.  
  
He pulls over and both officers step out and draw their guns.  
  
"Get out of the car now." An officer yells.  
  
The man gets out of the car and puts his hands behind his head.  
  
"What seems to be the problem officers?" The man asks.  
  
"You are driving a stolen car. Take out your ID slowly." The second officer responds.  
  
The man puts his hand in his pocket and takes out his wallet. He opens it up and shows his ID.  
  
"This car is not registered by that name. Assume the position now." The first officer yells.  
  
The man sighs and puts his hands on the car and spreads his legs out. Suddenly the car comes to life and shoots off the road and towards a nearby forest.  
  
"Damn. Let's go after it." The first officer says.  
  
"You go after it while I keep an eye on this one." The second one says.  
  
The first officer jumps into the car and takes off after the speeding car.  
  
"Look. I don't know how you did that but put your hands back up and keep them that way." The officer yells.  
  
"Sure officer." The man says.  
  
He puts his hands behind his head and waits.  
  
"You are under arrest for grand theft auto." The officer says cuffing the man.  
  
The officer steps away.  
  
"And if that car gets trashed somehow then you will be held even more responsible." The officer says.  
  
All of a sudden the man is free and slugs the officer. He hides behind a bush to wait for the police car to come back.  
  
The police car returns and the officer gets out.  
  
"Hey Joe. The car is smashed up against the tree." The officer says.  
  
He does a double take when he sees his knocked out partner. He pulls his gun but the man gets him first. The man pockets the gun and starts the police car the same way he started the stolen car. Meanwhile at the training center, the vagrant is testing her powers out.  
  
"You know. I haven't asked you what your name is yet." John says.  
  
"Anita. That's all I am gonna give for now. At least until I learn to trust you more." Anita says.  
  
"Okay Anita. I want you to concentrate on that dummy and throw it against the wall." Gray says.  
  
Anita tries but doesn't do it.  
  
"I'm sorry. I can't seem to do it." Anita says.  
  
"You seemed to be mad when you used your powers before. Try getting mad at the dummy. Pretend that the dummy is one of the mutant haters that ruined your life." John says.  
  
Anita makes two fists and narrows her eyes. She throws her hands out and the dummy hits the wall so hard that it falls apart.  
  
"There you go. Just remember to be careful not to use these powers on the wrong people. Never use them in public or the same thing may happen that happened before we got you." Gray says.  
  
Anita nods and smiles.  
  
"This is much better than eating out of garbage cans and sleeping on the street." Anita says.  
  
"Now that today's training is over, I have another mission for you. I get the feeling that the mutant haters are up to something. I want you two to infiltrate a campaign headquarters and hack into their systems." Gray says.  
  
"Why don't you give us a hard mission." John says sarcastically.  
  
"Hey what about me?" Anita asks.  
  
"You aren't ready to take on a mission yet. But you will be." Gray responds.  
  
John walks over to the booth with mission components and takes out a hacking probe. John and Mary leave the center and find the closest surface entrance. Meanwhile the thief is still driving the cop car and thinking of a place to dump it. He finally dumps it near the city limits and walks into town. He finds another car and breaks into it but this time a witness sees him.  
  
"Mutant!" She yells.  
  
Two officers appear out of nowhere and scan him. He quickly punches the scanner and disables it. He then takes off and jumps into the nearest underground entrance. He waits until the officers give up. He wanders the underground tunnels and somehow stumbles on the training center. He walks in and suprises Gray.  
  
"You're a mutant aren't you? Have you come to ask for help?" Gray asks.  
  
"I don't need any help. Except for maybe a hostage if those weird officers find me." The man answers.  
  
"Weird officers? You must mean the suppression officers. You must have used your powers in public." Gray says.  
  
"Yeah whatever. I won't be captured by any kind of authorities." The man says.  
  
"I can help you. I am a mutant too. And there are 3 others that are mutants. We can help you come to terms with what you are. As well as keep out of the hands of those officers." Gray says.  
  
"Yeah whatever. As long as they don't find me. Cause if they do, then don't expect me to not take you hostage." The man says.  
  
"Can we start off with a name?" Gray asks.  
  
"Spaz is my name." Spaz responds.  
  
"Okay Spaz. If you want you can hide out here. My other students should be back in a few hours." Gray says.  
  
"Yeah sure. Anything to avoid the cops." Spaz says.  
  
Meanwhile John and Mary are inside the campaign center, looking for the file room. They duck around the corner when they come upon a manager yelling loudly.  
  
"What? You are telling me that a mutant escaped from your officers." The man yells into the phone.  
  
Whatever is said on the other side makes the man angrier.  
  
"What the hell do I pay you guys for?" The man yells.  
  
He slams the phone down and storms out of the room. John and Mary step out from the corner and see a laptop in the room. They decide to take a chance and access it. John closes the door and pulls the shades on all windows. He sits down and hooks up the hacking probe on the computer. He turns it on and it starts doing its job. Mary stands near the door and listens for any noises.  
  
"So far so good." Mary says quietly.  
  
After a minute the hacking probe breaks into the system. John accesses the files. He downloads some relevant files and pictures. He's ready to disconnect when he notices a file section labeled X-men.   
  
"Come on John. We need to get out of here." Mary hisses.  
  
"Just a sec. There's a file on the X-men. Maybe it can tell us what totally happened to them all." John says.  
  
Mary rolls her eyes up and continues to listen. John clicks on the directory and a picture appears. It's Jean Gray. It lists her as still at large. But something else catches his eyes. A more button.  
  
"Could there be more X-men still out there?" John says.  
  
He is about to click on the more button when Mary motions to John. He quickly disconnects the hacker probe and closes the laptop. Halfway across the room, the door slams open and the same manager walks in. He sees the two and frowns.  
  
"What are you doing in my office?" The manager asks.  
  
"Uh we were looking for the bathroom." John responds.  
  
"Why was the door closed?" The manager asks.  
  
"It closed behind us. Can we go now? I really have to go." John responds.  
  
"I guess. But if I find anything missing then I will come after you. I remember a face." The manager says loudly.  
  
John and Mary quickly start heading towards the entrance.  
  
"Hey." The manager yells.  
  
They stiffen up.  
  
"The bathroom is back that way." The manager says.  
  
John and Mary sigh and head towards the bathroom. They find a unisex bathroom and enter it.  
  
"Whew that was close. I hope whatever you saw was worth it." Mary says.  
  
"Maybe. I found the file that Jean Gray was still at large. But there was a more button. Could that mean that more X-men are still out there?" John asks.  
  
"Maybe." Mary responds.  
  
After a few minutes the leave the bathroom and quickly leave the building. They return to the center to find it in total chaos. A stranger is tearing the place apart.  
  
"Help me. This guy is out of control." Gray yells.  
  
"Nobody will take me to jail." The man says.  
  
He fires a bullet at Gray but John slows it down and stops it.  
  
"What the hell was that?" The man yells.  
  
"I will not let you hurt my friend. Now either stop this or get out." John says angrily.  
  
The man whips his gun around and points it at Mary. Suddenly the gun is thrown violently from his hands.  
  
"Leave my friends alone." Anita says with her hands still out.  
  
"You're all nuts. I will be better off with the police." The man says.  
  
He takes off and leaves the center.  
  
"No wait. We can help you." Gray yells.  
  
"We can't help him if he doesn't want help." John says holding back Gray.  
  
The thief zeroes on a car after exiting the underground and uses his powers to steal it. Luckily nobody saw him this time. He drives away at a huge speed.  
  
  
Chapter 3: Memories  
  
A man is sitting quietly in his house watching TV. On the TV the president is making his speech.  
  
"I will not rest until every mutant loving house and neighborhood is dealt with. There must not be any people that sympathize with those monsters." The president says.  
  
The crowd roars in agreement. Off camera John and Mary are watching and shaking their heads.  
  
"How did someone like this guy ever get elected?" John asks.  
  
"Hatred is a very powerful thing." Mary responds.  
  
"Powerful enough to ensure that mutant hating presidents get elected every eight years." John says shaking is head.  
  
John's watch beeps and he finds a corner.  
  
"This is John." John says into his watch/communicator.  
  
"This is Gray. Return to the center immediately. Mary too." Gray responds.  
  
John returns to Mary.  
  
"It's time to go." John says.  
  
"Oh and I was so much enjoying listening to this guys bull shit." Mary says sarcastically.  
  
They leave and find the underground entrance closest to the center. Inside Gray starts to tell what is happening.  
  
"More and more neighborhoods are being torn down cause they are deemed mutant lovers."  
  
A big earth shaker startles the man who was earlier watching TV. He thinks it's an earthquake until he sees a huge sentinel outside his window.  
  
"They send sentinels to the neighborhoods. The sentinels give the people enough of a chance to evacuate the houses and buildings before they crush them and anything or anybody left inside."  
  
"This is an order from the president for all citizens of this neighborhood to leave their residents and buildings. You have 5 minutes before destruction begins."  
  
The man runs outside.  
  
"Why are you bothering us. I'm not a mutant lover." The man yells.  
  
"It has been determined that the majority of the people in this neighborhood are mutant lovers. Because of this in accordance to law 38-C, the neighborhood must go down." The sentinel responds.  
  
"That's nuts." John says.  
  
"I know. But this whole hating thing is nuts and is making people nuts." Gray says.  
  
"I refuse to let you destroy my home." The man yells.  
  
He stands in front of his house.  
  
"Five minutes are up. Last warning to get out of your house now." The sentinel says.  
  
"NEVER!" The man yells.  
  
The sentinel puts his foot down on the house and the man lets out a scream before he is smashed. Meanwhile other sentinels are also smashing the other houses. Luckily a few people make it out but too many people refused and died because of it. When Gray finishes her explanation, they notice that Anita is just standing there.  
  
"I know exactly what you are talking about. My neighborhood was destroyed. That's how I became a vagrant." Anita says sadly.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Mary says softly.  
  
"The reason why I am telling you this is cause I have gotten inside information from an informant that a neighborhood has been targeted for destruction tomorrow. I want you to go there and try to stop the sentinels. It may only be a temporary solution but it may give us time to find a way to stop these things all together." Gray says.  
  
Gray gives John a data-pad with the location. John gasps.  
  
"Oh my god. That's my old neighborhood. I grew up there." John says.  
  
"That's why I choose to do that one. Cause I figured the people there will remember you." Gray says.  
  
"Remember me? Probably. Be glad to see me again? Doubtful." John says.  
  
"Can I assume by that statement that you did not have a happy childhood?" Gray asks.  
  
"Yeah. I will only a small child when the new anti-mutant reform started. I don't remember the broadcast that showed the executions of the X-men. A year after that my mutant powers surfaced. At the worst possible time also." John says.  
  
He flashes back to the first burst of his powers. He is throwing a baseball back in forth with his friend. His friend decides to catch him off guard and throws the ball as hard as he can. But he messes up and the ball is heading right for John's head.  
  
"Arghhh." John yells.  
  
He throws his hands up but suddenly the ball slows down and then stops. John looks at it strangely.  
  
"Whoa. You must be a mutant. Cool I always wanted to be friends with one." John's friend says.  
  
Suddenly the ball drops to the ground. John's friend picks it up and throws it again but this time it goes wild. John tries to race after it but can't. Suddenly he disappears and reappears right in front of the ball and catches it.  
  
"Wow. More powers." John's friend says.  
  
But this time John's friend's mother sees it all and runs to scoop him up.  
  
"You stay away from my son you freak." The mother yells taking John's friend away.  
  
"Mommy. No he's cool." John's friend says.  
  
The mother doesn't listen and walks briskly to her house. When she tells her husband what happened, he storms out and walks up to the kid.  
  
"Get the hell out of here freak. We don't want any of your kind around here." The husband says.  
  
John runs home crying. Soon after a whole mob is in the front lawn.  
  
"Freak. Mutant lover." Are some of the things yelled by the crowd.  
  
The start throwing stuff and breaking windows. John and his mother secretly take as much stuff as they can and leave the area never to return again. They find a new neighborhood and John learns how to control his powers for now. Everything goes fine. The people of the new neighborhood never find out about John or what happened last time. Until he turns 18. He goes to a prom with his girlfriend. A mean boy comes over to her.  
  
"Hey baby. Want to dance?" The boy asks.  
  
"Get lost. I told you I wouldn't be with you if you were the last man on earth." John's girlfriend says disgusted.  
  
"Hey that ain't no way to talk to me." The boy says angrily.  
  
He grabs her and starts shaking her violently. John sees him and rushes over to him.  
  
"Leave my girl alone." John says.  
  
"This is your guy?" The boy asks the girlfriend. He laughs and says, "Shi man. I thought you had taste."  
  
John's girlfriend kicks him in the shin but that makes him even angrier and starts forcing himself on her. John gets so angry that he finally loses control. He starts punching the guy until he is off his girlfriend.  
  
"You stay away from her or I will mess you up worse next time." John says.  
  
But the boy isn't about to step down and swings at John. John gets so angry that his whole body glows with energy. Suddenly a rip appears behind the boy. John's girlfriend trips him and he falls into the rip. The rip closes. The kids of the prom surround him.  
  
"So you are a freakish mutant huh? I knew there was something wrong with you." One boy says.   
  
John slowly backs away. He looks at his girlfriend but she is just standing there in shock. He turns around and races out of the prom in tears. The next day a couple of parents show up at their door.  
  
"Oh John. Not again. I don't want to move again." The mother says.  
  
But the crowd seems calmer. She opens the door.  
  
"Your boy is a mutant and we will not have mutants in this town. You can stay but your mutant boy must leave now." A man yells.  
  
"No. I live here and I will live here for the rest of my life. You will just have to get used to my boy." The mother says.  
  
But unknown to her, John is upstairs packing a suitcase crying. He sneaks out the back door. His mother never sees him again.  
  
"Oh god. I'm so sorry to hear that John." Mary says.  
  
"So you see why they might not like seeing me there." John says.  
  
"Yeah but things must have changed if they are considered a mutant loving community. Maybe they will accept you this time." Mary says.  
  
"Anita. I think you are ready. I believe that you would be a tremendous help against the sentinels. Just be careful and you too take care of her." Gray says.  
  
They all nod and head to the vehicle bay. Mary and John take two X-cycles with Anita on the back of John's. When they arrive in town, some people see them through the screen-doors and just slam their doors shut and lock them.  
  
"Nice reception." Mary says.  
  
"At least they aren't out here accosting me." John says.  
  
They head to the local sheriff to warn him about what is to come.  
  
When the sheriff sees John he gets a big frown on his face and picks up the phone.  
  
"He's back." The Sheriff says simply then hangs up.  
  
"What the hell are you doing back here boy?" The sheriff asks.  
  
"We've come to warn you about…" John starts to say.  
  
Suddenly a large blow to the back of his head knocks him out. The last thing he hears is Mary crying out to him. When he wakes up he finds himself in a jail cell.  
  
"Yo Sheriff. What am I doing in here?" John yells.  
  
"Shut up freak." The deputy says banging a charge stick against the bars which forces John to let go with a shock.  
  
"I have to warn you. The sentinels will be here tomorrow morning to tear your town down. Only I and the others that came with me can help you." John yells.  
  
"We don't need any help from a murdering freak like you." The deputy says.  
  
"Murdering?" John asks.  
  
The Sheriff finally comes to the cell with a mean look on his face.  
  
"Oh sure you remember don't you. It was only 2 years ago." The sheriff says.  
  
John tries to remember but can't.  
  
"That boy you killed at the prom. Or at least we think he was killed. When he fell in that weird vortex you created. I only hope he was killed." The sheriff says.  
  
"Oh my god." John says.  
  
"Yep." The sheriff says.  
  
"Where's my friends?" John asks.  
  
"They are in a cells also. They tried to attack me after I knocked you out. Sides any friends of your are enemies of us." The deputy says grinning.  
  
"You have got to listen to me. The president has declared your town a mutant loving town. He has ordered it to be destroyed. Haven't you heard of things like that happening?" John pleads.  
  
"We don't hear much around here. Since we are such a small town and in the outskirts of a major area." The sheriff says.  
  
"Sides. How do we know you aren't just making this up so we can free you?" The deputy asks.  
  
"Cause if you don't believe me then this town will fall. Can you take that chance?" John says.  
  
"Damn this freak talks to much." The sheriff says.  
  
The deputy takes out his stun gun and blasts John until he is unconscious.  
  
"That's better." The sheriff says laughing.  
  
The deputy laughs too as they leave the cellblock. John has nightmares about him shoving the bully into the rip and laughing about it. He wakes up with a start when he feels an earth quake.  
  
"Damn they're here." John says.  
  
The sheriff runs in.  
  
"Okay so it seems like you were telling the truth. I am letting you and your friend out only to destroy those things. After that you are going right back in." The sheriff says.  
  
He opens the cell and John runs out. He sees Three huge sentinels stomping through town.  
  
"I guess they are using the weaker but bigger models cause they think they won't get any opposition." John says.  
  
His body crackles with energy.  
  
"Well they are about to regret that." John says.  
  
Mary and Anita run up to John.   
  
"Wow. Those are much bigger sentinels than the one I took apart." Anita says.  
  
"Yeah but they are easier to deal with." John says.  
  
"Your town has been ordered to be destroyed by the president. It has been determined that this town is a mutant loving town. As ordained in law 38-C this town must fall." The sentinel says.  
  
"Get the hell out of my town." The sheriff says.  
  
"You have 5 minutes to evacuate all your houses and buildings before destruction of them begin." The sentinel says ignoring the sheriff.  
  
"It will take us far less time to take you out." John yells.  
  
"Warning. Mutants detected." The sentinel says.  
  
John fires balls and balls of energy at the sentinel while Mary fires beams of energy out of her fingers. They take down one sentinel.  
  
"Darn it. We are not gonna be able to take the other two out before they get the message out." John says.  
  
He fires more balls at the other two sentinels. Anita finally works up her anger and throws a huge energy wave at the sentinels, which bring them down to their knees. Unknown to them all, Spaz is in a cell. He made the mistake of driving a stolen car into this town. He hears noises coming from outside.  
  
"Alright a battle. Time to join it." Spaz says.  
  
He touches the locking part and unlocks the cell. He runs outside and sees the sentinels.  
  
"Whoa. The big boys. Oh well as they always say, the bigger they are the bigger they fall." Spaz says.  
  
He races past the 3 Nex-men, to their surprise. He touches the leg of one of the sentinels.  
  
"Warning. Systems are overloading." The sentinel says.  
  
The Sentinel blows up. He then runs over to the last one and does the same. But by this time a couple of officers appear and shoot him down.  
  
"Come on. Let's finish this." John yells.  
  
They all concentrate their powers on the weakened sentinel and easily finish it off. Then they focus their attack on the officers and drive them off.  
  
"You will regret the day you stood up to us." The officers say then disappear.  
  
"No. It will be you and your kind that will regret the day you stood up against mutants." John says.  
  
They rush over and pick up the unconscious body of Spaz.  
  
"Are you crazy? Why should we take him to our center after what he did last time?" Anita says.  
  
"Cause he helped us. The least we can do is help him get through this." Mary says.  
  
Anita shakes her head and they get on the X-bikes. Meanwhile Magneto is watching the replay of the battle.  
  
"Those mutants are really turning out to be a real thorn in my side. But not for long. Not once my new brand of weapons are ready." Magneto says.  
  
Next to him a pair of glowing red eyes light up.  
  
  
Chapter 4: A new threat  
  
Spaz is laying on a medical bed. He is twisting and turning. He is also moaning. Gray is standing over him with a worried look on her face.  
  
"What's going through that head of yours?" Gray asks worried.  
  
Spaz is having nightmares of his childhood.  
  
"What the hell did you do to that TV." A man yells at a young Spaz.  
  
When Spaz doesn't answer, the man kicks him hard.  
  
"You little shit. I am gonna make you pay for that." The man says kicking him more.  
  
More electronic things are destroyed and the kicks become belting. Finally when Spaz destroys the car, his dad has had enough and throws him out of the house with nothing to survive on. On the street Spaz learns that he can control machinery and learns to control it so he doesn't destroy machinery. Unless he wants to that is.  
  
"Hey. I have seen your work. Want to get into something bigger?" A voice says.  
  
Spaz looks up from his seat on the edge of the sidewalk.  
  
"Who's there?" Spaz asks.  
  
"I am someone that can give you a home and money. You just need to do something for me." The voice responds.  
  
"What do I need to do?" Spaz asks.  
  
"You just need to steal cars for me. Everybody that lives in my home has this quota." The voice responds.  
  
"Oh no. I have never stolen a car before." Spaz says waving his hands.  
  
"Okay. Look I know you are a mutant. If you don't join me I can easily turn you in." The voice says menacingly.  
  
"Okay okay. I will do it." Spaz says.  
  
The man with the voice steps out from the darkness.  
  
"I'm Spaz." Spaz says putting out his hand.  
  
"All you need to know is that my first name is Magnus." The man says.  
  
In the next few months Spaz steals plenty of cars for this Magnus. But strangely the cars dissappear quickly and he never sees them being chopped up. He once asked Magnus where the cars go but Magnus says that he doesn't need to know. Only to do as he says. Finally one day Spaz got tired of being kept in the dark and decides to keep a car for himself.  
  
"Hey that's my car. Police help." A man yells after the car that Spaz is speeding away with.  
  
Magnus is sitting impatiently awaiting for the car. After an hour he gathers some of his best students.  
  
"I believe that our prodigal son Spaz has gone AWOL. Now he may have been caught. Find him. Look in police stations and listen to the police band. But find him!" Magnus yells.  
  
Three students jump on cycles and explore the city. They each take a police station but none of them come up with anything. Though one of them used his mind reading ability to find the license plate of the stolen car. Meanwhile Spaz is driving merily down the highway, not knowing that his punishment for defying Magnus is closing in on him. Suddenly he sees three cycles behind him. One gets on his side and another go in front. The third stays behind him. Suddenly a beam of energy shoots from each cycle. The car slows down and comes to a stop. Spaz steps out.  
  
"Hey what the hell are you doing?" Spaz asks.  
  
"Magnus is very upset that you stole one of his cars." One mutant says.  
  
"He wants you to come with us for punishment." Another mutant says.  
  
"So you better come quietly" The third one says putting his hand out.  
  
"Bite me." Spaz says.  
  
A beam of energy shoots from the third mutants arm and surrounds Spaz. He finds that he can't move.  
  
"What the hell is this?" Spaz yells trying to struggle.  
  
"Cool isn't it. It's a plastic that comes out of my hand in energy form and solidyfies around you. Trust me, you can't break free. I found that out the hard way when I entrapped myself the first time." The third mutant responds.  
  
"Let's go man. The boss wanted us back as soon as possible." The first mutant says.  
  
"I won't let you take me back to him." Spaz says struggling.  
  
"Okay this guy is becoming a major pain. Deal with him." The first mutant says to the second one.  
  
The others put ear plugs on and the second one screams. Soon Spaz is unconscious on the ground. They pick him up and lay him across the back of one of the scooters.   
  
"Hey what do we do with the boss's car?" The third one asks.  
  
"We can't start it ourselves. Just remember where it is and we can send back someone that can start it. If it's still here that is." The first one responds.  
  
"Hey if it isn't, then we get a new reason to take this guy out." The second one says laughing.  
  
Later at the base Spaz in interrogated.  
  
"Now tell me why you took the car." A man asks.  
  
"I said it before and I will say it again. Bite me." Spaz says.  
  
"Wrong answer." The man says.  
  
He touches Spaz and a super electrical current goes through his body.  
  
"Arghh." Spaz screams.  
  
Meanwhile Magnus is watching with another mutant.  
  
"Mind read him. I want to know if he found out my true intentions and or my real identity." Magnus says.  
  
The mutant concentrates on Spaz.  
  
"No he doesn't know anything. I think he simply did it cause he was tired of stealing for other people." The mutant says.  
  
"Let him go." Magnus says into the microphone.  
  
"What? Are you crazy?" The electric mutant asks.  
  
"How many times do I have to say this? Never question me." Magnus yells into the microphone.  
  
The guy shrinks back and takes out Spaz. Magnus meets them in the hall.  
  
"But he must be crippled in a way that he won't be able to steal cars as well anymore." Magnus says laughing.  
  
Magnus reaches out to Spaz's left hand and rips it off easily. He wakes up and screams His stub bleeds like crazy.  
  
"Deal with that before you drop him off at the police station. And clean this mess up. I hate getting blood on the carpet." Magnus says.  
  
Later on at the police station he gets medical help and an prosthetic hand is installed. He is put on probation and he tries to go back to stealing. He can still do it but at a much slower pace. Too much slower. Meanwhile in the present, Magnus is talking to the admistrators of the mutant hating group.  
  
"Have the prototypes of the new sentinels begun production?" Magnus asks.  
  
"Yes sir. We see a release of the first one in a week at least." The man responds.  
  
"Good. Soon the mutants will know fear." Magnus says laughing.  
  
Magnus enters a room and closes the door. He starts laughing evily. He puts on a familiar helmet and cape.  
  
"Yes. The mutants and all of the 'normals' will soon tremble before the might of Magneto." Magneto says laughing.  
  
Meanwhile at the center, John and Mary return from a movie.  
  
"How's Spaz doing?" John asks Gray.  
  
"No change. Though I am picking up REM activity. That's a good sign that the weapon didn't overload his brain. But he won't regain conciouness for some reason." Gray responds frowning.  
  
Gray looks up as if to see the two for the first time.  
  
"Oh you're back. Good I have a very important mission for you." Gray says.  
  
Anita walks in and stands next to John and Mary.  
  
"What's up?" Anita asks.  
  
"My informant has told me a bit of disturbing information. A new line of even more powerful sentinels are being prototyped." Gray says.  
  
"That is bad. We have enough trouble defeating the current line of those things." John says frowning.  
  
John does a double take.  
  
"Oh no. I know what you are gonna say. You want us to go to the prototype factory and do something to the new ones." John says waving his hands in front of him.  
  
"If we can stand a chance than we should do it. Or we will be facing those things after they are in full production. They may be too much for us to handle." Mary says.  
  
"Can I go?" Anita asks.  
  
"Yes. You did great on the last mission. You have proved yourself a good addition to the team." Gray says.  
  
"Okay okay. I will go." John says reluctantly.  
  
The three get on X-cycles and take off towards the surface. Once there they stop and get off. John takes out his scanner and checks the coordinates of the factory.  
  
"Heh. It's outside the main city limits. Guess that's so the public won't see what kind of terrors their leaders are making." John says.  
  
"It will probably be hard to get into." Mary says.  
  
"We'll find a way." John says.  
  
They get back on the cycles and head towards the city limits. They leave their cycles a short distance before they reach the base. They walk the rest of the way. Finally John takes out binoculars and scans the building and it's security.  
  
"Yep. All the entrances that I can see are heavily guarded. But I see a air duct that could fit us all." John says.  
  
They sneak towards the air duct. Ducking whenever a guard comes near. John finds the duct screwed shut so he uses his powers to change the structure of the screws and they come off easily. He pulls back the grating and they slowly crawl in one by one. He puts the grating back on and welds it back on. They crawl until they come upon another grate in the bottom. They look down and see some men talking.  
  
"Man these new sentinels are really proving to be difficult to make. I almost never get a break anymore." One man says.  
  
"I know what you mean. This is my first break in a week. I complain but they just threaten to call me a mutant lover and let the crowd take care of me." The second man says.  
  
The first man shivers and says, "Same here."  
  
"Breaks over you two. Get back to work." A voice yells.  
  
"But we just started it 3 minutes ago." The first man whines.  
  
"Too bad." The voice says.  
  
The men throw their cups of coffees to the ground angrily and storm out. John waits for a few minutes to make sure nobody else comes in. Then he pulls out the grating. Then he and the others drop down. John closes the door and Mary stands next to it to listen for any sounds.  
  
"Okay we are in. Any suggestions on what to do now?" John asks.  
  
"Could we masquerade as workers?" Anita asks.  
  
"Nah too risky. The leader of this place may know everybody by face. Probably wouldn't believe that we are new either." John responds.  
  
"Could we be stealthy somehow. Sneak around?" Mary asks.  
  
"They probably have security cameras." John responds.  
  
"I say we just walk out of this room nonchalantly and hope for the best." Anita says.  
  
"You know that idea may just be crazy enough to work." John says.  
  
Mary opens the door slowly and looks around the corner. She gives the all clear sign. They walk out and try not to act suspiciously. They look at the signs and find the way to the sentinel production room. John touches the knob and suddenly the alarms go off. John reaches back and looks around afraid.   
  
"Damn. Let's just get out of here." Mary yells.  
  
They race off. Suddenly a beam of energy strikes them down one by one. The last thing John sees is the same man that they say when inside the campaign offices. He is holding the smoking weapon.  
  
"I told you I remember a face." He says.  
  
  
Chapter 5: The beginning of the end.  
  
John wakes up to find himself strapped to a chair with electrodes attached to him.  
  
"Good. You are awake. I was getting tired of waiting." A man's voice says.  
  
John tries to struggle but gets an electric jolt.  
  
"I suggest you not try that again. Every time you try, the jolts will get worse. They won't kill you but they can put you through hell." The voice says.  
  
John tries to look around for the source of the voice but cannot find it.  
  
"Oh no. You can't know who I am. Or at least not yet." The voice says.  
  
"How bout a hint." John asks sarcastically.  
  
Another jolt goes through his body.  
  
"That's another thing. I ask the questions." The voice says.  
  
John just sits there silent.  
  
"Okay now. Question number one. What were you doing at the factory?" The voice asks.  
  
"Looking for a tour." John responds.  
  
Another jolt hits John. This one is stronger than before.  
  
"Again. What were you doing at the factory?" The voice repeats again more loudly.  
  
"We got lost and were asking for directions." John responds.  
  
Another jolt.  
  
"Again. What were you doing at the factory?" The voice repeats again almost screaming.  
  
John doesn't say anything and another jolt hits him.  
  
"Question two. Who are you affiliated with?" The voice asks.  
  
"Santa clause." John responds.  
  
The biggest jolt of all hits John and he finally screams.  
  
"Question three. What are your mutant powers and how powerful are they?" The voice asks.  
  
"Mutant? What's that?" John asks.  
  
The jolt is so severe that John screams until he loses conciouness.  
  
"I will get the answers from you eventually. It just takes time." The voice says laughing.  
  
"The question and answer session is over. I got what I wanted from the vagrant. She was easy considering that her mutant powers are mental." Another voice says.  
  
"What now them my lord?" The interrogator asks.  
  
"Let him awake. I want him and the others to know what they are gonna do for me no." The voice says laughing.  
  
After an hour, John wakes up and finds himself still strapped in but with no electrodes. But he can't break free.  
  
"Welcome John." A voice says.  
  
"Who are you?" John yells.  
  
"Oh you can't know that yet. But you will in time when everybody else in the world does." The voice responds.  
  
"What happened to the electrodes? Gave up on interrogating me?" John asks scoffing.  
  
"No. One of your other friends gave us all the information we need." The voice says.  
  
John is stunned that one of his team would betray them.  
  
"No. She must have been not as strong mentally as I am." John thinks.  
  
"You will be happy to know that you are gonna be used for a good cause." The voice says.  
  
"I am sure that any cause that you believe in, is not good." John says.  
  
"You are gonna get to beta test the new sentinels." The voice says.  
  
"Huh?" John asks.  
  
"You see the new sentinels are exactly the same as the old ones. The only thing different is that we trashed the AI. These new ones will use actual human brains. Mutant ones are preferable. I realized that all sentinels had one flaw. Artificial intelligence doesn't come close to actual intelligence." The voice says.  
  
"You are crazy if you think I will help you." John says.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry. Did I tell you that you had a choice?" The voice asks.  
  
"You can't make me." John says.  
  
"Oh but I can. You see the same people that created the mutant suppression device, also created a mutant mind controller." The voice says.  
  
A door opens up and a man comes in. He puts on a device around John's head.  
  
"No you will not succeed." John says trying to struggle.  
  
His struggles stop.  
  
"I already have." The voice says.  
  
Later on the peace of Washington D.C. is violently ended with the appearance of three sentinels. The sentinels tear through the buildings with their weapons. A reporter runs out of a building and has the camera turn on.  
  
"This is Anya Martin. I am showing you something that is actually happening. The sentinels that are supposed to be our protectors are actually attacking us for no reason." The reporter says into the camera.  
  
The feed is interrupted as a weapon strikes down the reporter and cameraman.  
  
"I'm out of here. They don't pay me enough for this kind of shit." The reporter yells.  
  
A men steps out from inside another building.  
  
"No wait. I have information that the public should know." The man says.  
  
"Okay fine. Make it quick." The reporter says.  
  
The cameraman turns on the camera again.  
  
"This is Anya again. We have someone that claims to have information on what is going on." The reporter says.  
  
The man steps next to Anya.  
  
"What is the information you have?" The reporter asks.  
  
"I am from the place that created those sentinels. We were prototyping them when a group of mutants invade and take those three. It's obvious that the mutants have no good intentions while using those things. Proof more than mutants are dangerous and should be eliminated, not just suppressed." The man says.  
  
"Do you have proof of this?" The reporter asks.  
  
"Yes. I have footage taken from security cameras. If you could just let me hook this device up to your camera, it will replay the footage over the air." The man says.  
  
He gives over the device and the cameraman hooks it up. The feed begins and shows John, Mary and Anita blowing their way through the factory. They easily take out the guards and get inside the sentinels. Meanwhile Gray is watching at the center.  
  
"No that can't be true. They must have altered it. But if they did then I fear for my students. They must have been forced to take those sentinels out." Gray says.  
  
She turns to Spaz.  
  
"They need your help. How can I get you to wake up?" Gray asks.  
  
She looks over at a helmet that Professor X used to use.   
  
"Could I use that to get inside of his head and find out what is wrong with him?" Gray asks herself.  
  
She puts the helmet on and connects it to another part that goes on Spaz's head. She gasps as she is thrust into Spaz's nightmares. She sees everything. His torrid childhood and criminal period. A lot of it flashes back so fast that she decides that she will need time to scan through it all. She focuses on Spaz himself.  
  
"Spaz? Can you here me? It's Gray." Gray asks.  
  
"No. Stay away from me." Spaz says.  
  
Gray thinks he is talking to her until he sees Spaz's dad appear with a huge belt.  
  
"You are only remembering the horrible parts. Weren't there any good parts of your childhood? Think hard." Gray asks.  
  
"No you had only bad ones. Your childhood was fraught with a father that hated you." The dad says.  
  
"Don't believe him. What about your mother? What happened to your mother?" Gray asks.  
  
"You never had a mother. She hated you also." The dad yells.  
  
Spaz starts shaking and screams. He throws something at his dad and it makes his dad disappear. He is replaced with his dad and his mom. But this time his dad has a happy look on his face.  
  
"That's better. When was your dad a happy man?" Gray asks.  
  
"When my mom was still alive." Spaz responds.  
  
"How did she die?" Gray asks.  
  
A scene in the hospital with a little Spaz and his parents appears.  
  
"I'm so sorry. The test detected a cancer lump in your breast." The doctor says.  
  
The mother cries and the dad just sits and stares.  
  
"He just stayed that way until…" Spaz says.  
  
"Until when?" Gray prompts.  
  
"The cancer spread all over. It was the worst kind they had ever seen. She got to the point where she needed a life support machine to survive." Spaz responds.  
  
"How did she die?" Gray asks.  
  
"I got curious about the machine that was keeping mommy alive. I touched it. Before I knew it the machine stopped working. They weren't able to save mommy." Spaz says in a little kid's voice.  
  
The scene plays out and shows that his dad caught his son touching the machine and resulting flat line of his wife.  
  
"So that was your first sign of mutant power." Gray says.  
  
"My dad always blamed me. He said I murdered my mom." Spaz says.  
  
Scenes of Spaz blowing up many different things by accident show one by one. After each one the beating becomes more and more violent. One beating was so violent that Spaz was hospitalized for one week. The child welfare people did some questioning but never found out the truth. 'Daddies' threats and Spaz's already tremendous fear of his dad made sure of that. She witnesses the time when Spaz's dad threw him out of the house.  
  
"I want you to focus on only the good things." Gray says.  
  
Scenes flood by of the joy that his parents felt when he was born. The joy of his firsts. His first steps, first word.  
  
"Now I want you to leave this world. The real world needs you more." Gray says.  
  
The world slowly fades and Gray finds herself back in the center. Spaz moans and moves in his bed.  
  
"Come-on Spaz." Gray says quietly.  
  
Spaz opens his eyes.  
  
"Where am I?" Spaz asks.  
  
"You are back in the center. You were in a coma and I helped you out of it." Gray responds.  
  
"I never asked for any help." Spaz says angry.  
  
"I wanted to help you." Gray says.  
  
Spaz stands up.  
  
"The others need you. Please go and help them. If nothing more." Gray says.  
  
"I will help only cause those mutant haters want people like me dead." Spaz says.  
  
"Well that's better than nothing." Gray says.  
  
Gray holds out a key.  
  
"Don't need one remember?" Spaz says smiling.  
  
"Oh yeah. Good luck and come back in one piece." Gray says smiling.  
  
Spaz shrugs his shoulders and goes into the vehicle bay. He starts a cycle and takes off. He easily finds the attacking sentinels.  
  
"So you are the things that are giving mutants a bad name. I am gonna have to change that." Spaz says.  
  
Spaz gets back on the cycle and jumps it up to a sentinel. He jumps off as the cycle plows into the sentinel. He enters the sentinel and finds John at the controls.  
  
"Man you are working for them? That ain't right." Spaz says.  
  
He touches the mind controller and shorts it out. John looks around and does a double take when he sees Spaz.  
  
"Yo. I'm on your side. For now." Spaz says.  
  
Spaz jumps out while John teleports to the next control room. He tries to take off the mind controller but it shocks him.  
  
"Damn. I need you Spaz." John says.  
  
Spaz meanwhile is bringing down the next sentinel. He tears through to the control room and frees Anita.  
  
"Spaz!" John yells.  
  
The sentinel plunges into the water in front of the Washington monument. Spaz jumps in and takes out John. John looks back.  
  
"Mary." John yells.  
  
A huge burst of energy erupts as the sentinel explodes.  
  
"No. Mary." John says sadly.  
  
Suddenly Mary leaps out of the water. But something is different about her.  
  
"Mary your okay." John yells.  
  
"I am better than okay. I was able to absorb the blast into my body." Mary says.  
  
She takes off her gloves and the resulting blast incinerates one of the fallen sentinels.  
  
"Let's get out of here." Spaz yells.  
  
Spaz and Anita get on the one cycle and the others rush into the nearest underground entrance. Once they are all back in the center Gray tells them a bit of disturbing news.  
  
"I scanned all the visual data that I got from Spaz. I saw someone that looks like Magneto. His name was Magnus." Gray says.  
  
"Magneto? Alive?" John says.  
  
"If he is then our mission has just got a lot more dangerous." Gray says.  
  
Magneto is gathering his mutants to take out the nex-men once and for all.  
  
"A lot more."  
  
  
Chapter 6: Propaganda.  
  
"If Magneto is truly still alive, then we have a major problem on our hands. He must have a plan." Gray says.  
  
"I also have a feeling that that mutant hating group have their own agenda. We need to crack that file that I got." John says.  
  
"Want me to take a crack at it? I may be able to hack it." Spaz says.  
  
"No. I don't quite trust you enough to handle that. But if you give us a chance to trust you, then we will." Gray says.  
  
"I am gonna turn on the TV and see what that romp with the sentinels did to the mutants reputation." John says.  
  
He goes over and turns the TV on.  
  
"Mutants are attacking the city. They are calling themselves the nex-men." The reporter says.  
  
"What? That can't be." John says.  
  
"Wait. I may be able to get a good shot on the attackers." The reporter says.  
  
The camera changes in zoom on several figures destroying buildings.  
  
"It can't be." Anita says.  
  
But sure enough the camera shows John, Mary, Anita and Spaz attacking the city.  
  
"What the hell?" John asks angrily.  
  
"Cool. I am getting to fight." Spaz says smiling.  
  
"That's not us. It must be a trick." Mary says.  
  
The fake Anita sees the Camera and flings her hands out. The signal goes bad.  
  
"Uh. We seemed to have lost the signal for some reason. If we get it back then we will get back to you." A in station reporter says.  
  
Anita gets so mad that her power throws the TV against the wall.  
  
"Hey hold it. I still have payments on that." John says picking the TV up and putting it back.  
  
"Damn you. First you destroy my city. Then you label me something that makes me a threat. Now you are making me look bad." Anita says.  
  
"Hey. Whoever is behind that is making us all look bad." Mary says putting a hand on Anita's shoulder.  
  
"I say a mutant is behind this. Maybe a shape shifter?" Spaz asks.  
  
"No. Unless it's a group of shape shifters and I doubt Magneto could find that many mutants with that kind of power." John responds.  
  
"In the X-men days there were only two. Morph and Mystique." Gray says.  
  
"So no. What kind of mutant power could do this kind of thing?" John wonders.  
  
The answer lies at Magneto's base. He is watching the tape of the news broadcast.  
  
"That was amazing." Magneto says.  
  
"Why thank you." A woman responds.  
  
Magneto sees the fake nex-men attacking the buildings.  
  
"How did you get the illusions to destroy things?" Magneto asks.  
  
"I simply attacked with my powers in sync with the attack of the illusions. It was a simple feat." The woman responds.  
  
"I am glad you are on my side Lusia." Magneto says laughing.  
  
Back at the center the nex-men are still brainstorming.  
  
"We need disguises. Like the old team. And nicknames." John says.  
  
"I already made ones for you and Mary. I did not who would be the rest of the team at the time. So I will have to make ones for Anita and Spaz." Gray says.  
  
"So does that mean we have to wait until you make the outfits?" Spaz asks.  
  
"No. I can give you general disguises. But you aren't ready to fight out there anyway Spaz." Gray responds.  
  
Gray walks into another room. A minute later she comes out with three outfits. She takes out a white and red outfit and hands it to John.  
  
"Here's yours." Gray says.  
  
John puts on the disguise and likes it.  
  
"Not bad." John says smiling.  
  
"Don't forget the head mask." Gray says.  
  
John pulls over a mask.  
  
Gray gives Mary her outfit. Her outfit is black leather.  
  
"Okay. I always did like black." Mary says.  
  
She sees the strange gloves and frowns.  
  
"What's with these gloves?" Mary asks.  
  
"They are like Cyclops visor. You can fire your energy blasts through these gloves but in a controlled manner. Use your old gloves when you are a civilian." Gray responds.  
  
Mary puts on the gloves and fires a blast at the target.  
  
"Cool. I was getting tired of having to take off my gloves to attack." Mary says smiling.  
  
Anita gets a normal disguise.  
  
"Oh well. It's better than nothing." Anita says putting her disguise on.  
  
"Now for nicknames." Gray says.  
  
"I would like to be called Quanto." John says.  
  
"I would like to be called Energa." Mary says.  
  
"I would like to be called Matta." Anita says.  
  
They all look at her strangely.  
  
"You know like gray matter?" Anita says.  
  
"I kind of like the name Spaz." Spaz says.  
  
"No! The police are probably on the look out for someone named Spaz. How bout Zaps?" Gray asks.  
  
"Okay I guess." Spaz says.  
  
Voices sound inside John's head.  
  
"What the?" John says.  
  
"Oh I forgot. I put a signal device in your headpiece. It can pick up TV signals and police band." Gray says.  
  
John listens to what he is hearing.  
  
"It says that the nex-men are attacking again." John says.  
  
"Let's go then. Let's teach whoever is doing this to soil our reputation." Anita says.  
  
They all look at Gray.  
  
"Well go ahead. What are you waiting for?" Gray asks smiling.  
  
They all jump onto X-cycles and go to the surface.  
  
"Be careful. The sight of us will undoubtedly cause fear and maybe an attack." John warns.  
  
They all bend over to reduce wind resistance and to get there as fast as possible.  
  
"It says that the attack is at the city center." John says.  
  
They adjust their path to head there.  
  
"It's time I tell you about the new weapons in your cycles." Gray says over John's headset.  
  
"Gray wants to tell us all about new weapons." John says.  
  
Gray begins to speak and John repeats.  
  
"The primary weapons are lasers on the sides. The cycles also have limited supplies of projectile weapons. Be very careful using these. Do not damage public property with them. We are in enough trouble with the public as it is." Gray says.  
  
They finally approach the city center and get off the cycles. The so-called nex-men are still attacking.  
  
"Okay that's enough. The real nex-men are here." John says while taking a fighting stance.  
  
The four attacking mutants stop and turn towards the three. The only answer they give is by John and Mary attacking. John throws up a personal shield around him and Mary and reflects the blasts. Mary returns fire and so does John. But the other team shields themselves also.  
  
"This is a waste of time. This has to be an illusion." John says.  
  
"Tell Mary to put her goggles on. The goggles are inside her pack." Gray says.  
  
Mary finds the goggles and puts them on. Suddenly instead of seeing the other team, she sees one being.  
  
"You were right. I am only picking up one energy signature." Mary says.  
  
"Okay the gig is up. We know that all this is fake. Show yourself." John yells.  
  
The team still remains.  
  
"What are you? Chicken?" John says.  
  
A loud clucking sound blares out and a huge bolt of energy slams into John, knocking him down.  
  
"John!" Mary yells.  
  
"I am here at yet another site of the mutant attacks and…" A reporter says.  
  
"Oh no. Not her again." John says rolling his eyes up.  
  
"There seems to be two teams this time." The reporter says surprised.  
  
"Yeah and we are the real nex-men. Those are just fakers." Anita says.  
  
The reporter just continues on talking as if nobody had said anything.  
  
"What is your problem lady? Don't like talking to mutants." Anita asks angry.  
  
She starts after the reporter but Mary holds her back.  
  
"Wait a minute. I am picking up an energy field around us. It's the same one around the other team. I think that energy blast put an illusion around our area. The reporter is seeing this illusion." Mary says.  
  
"Then why can't we see the illusion?" Anita asks.  
  
"Cause I guess we only see it if we are outside the field." Mary responds.  
  
"The two teams are seemingly joining forces in their attack." The reporter says.  
  
"That's it. I have had it with this damn illusion." Anita yells.  
  
She concentrates and throws an energy surge out towards the other teams. For one moment it seems to disrupt the illusion and they get a glimpse of a woman floating in the air.  
  
"There. I got her location. Focus all energy on that area." Mary says pointing at a part of the team.  
  
Mary fires bolts of energy while Anita throws surges after surges at the woman to keep track of her location. Finally the illusion goes down. The reporter does a double take at the new sight.  
  
"Wait a second. Suddenly the whole scene has changed. As if it was a play changing acts. Now we are seeing one team and a single woman where the other team used to be." The reporter says.  
  
"Yeah lady. Now you are seeing the truth." Anita says.  
  
"Can you tell me who you are?" The reporter asks.  
  
"We are the nex-men and that's all you have to know. The real nex-men." John says.  
  
"So you are saying that you are the good guys?" The reporter asks.  
  
"We will destroy anything bad that is threatening this city." Mary says.  
  
"Mutants do not deserve the treatment they are getting. But the most important thing right now is to show that we can be trusted and do not deserve to be killed." Anita says.  
  
"That's all I need. This wasn't live but I can put this on the night news." The reporter says.  
  
"That would be great. We need to look as good to the public as we can." John says.  
  
The reporter leaves and the nex-men look to see that the woman has escaped.  
  
"I guess she isn't so tough after her illusion is gone." Mary says.  
  
"Let's return home. I want to see later how the news bite of what we said turns out." John says.  
  
They all jump on the cycles and take off. Meanwhile Lusia returns to the base.  
  
"I have failed you my lord." Lusia says bowing.  
  
"No you haven't. For you see, I have a friend at the local TV station." Magneto says laughing.  
  
Later on the local news is broadcasted and finally the footage of the interview is shown.  
  
"We will destroy city." Mary says.  
  
"Mutants deserve to be killed. The most important thing is to show that we can not be trusted." Anita says.  
  
The reporter comes on screen.  
  
"Interesting words from so called heroes. This along with footage of this team destroying things, shows that something must be done about these creatures." The reporter says.  
  
  
Chapter 7: Blackmail  
  
The peace of the town is shattered by two mutants, one boy and one girl, start attacking people. One has fire coming out of his body and the other has ice coming from her body.  
  
"That's far enough. The nex-men are here to stop your destruction." John says.  
  
The guy fires a blast of fire at John which he easily dodges but unknown that it is a setup as the woman fires ice at the place he dodges too. John is instantly turned into ice.   
  
"John." Mary yells.  
  
But she also is frozen. Anita and Spaz grab them both and run away. But the two mutants seem to have dissappeared. The reappear in Magneto's lair.  
  
"We have done what you asked us to do. The two leaders are now incapacitated." The man says.  
  
"Excellent. You have done well my students." Magneto says smiling.  
  
"We are not your students. We hate what you believe in but we cannot let our past be revealed to the authorites. Remember, that is the only reason why we are helping your evil schemes." The man says angrily.  
  
"Of course. Just a few more jobs for me and I will let you go." Magneto lies.  
  
The man mutters and walks out of the base with his sister. Once they have left Magneto turns away from the door.  
  
"Just a few more jobs. A few more hundred jobs that is." Magneto says laughing.  
  
Meanwhile Anita calls for help.  
  
"Gray. Something has happened to John and Mary. We need help getting them to safety." Anita says into her communicator.  
  
"I have a transporter in this center. It hasn't been used for a bit but it should still work." Gray responds.  
  
After a minute or two the 4 nex-men dissapear and reappear in the center. Gray gasps when she sees the two frozen.  
  
"Oh my god. What happened?" Gray asks.  
  
"We were responding to a report of two mutants attacking. One of them was throwing fire and the other ice. The ice lady hit John and Mary and then they ended up like they are now." Anita responds.  
  
"Iprix and watrix." Gray mumbles.  
  
"What did you say?" Anita asks.  
  
"Oh. I have just heard a legend of mutants that are twins. One controls fire and the other ice. Could these be those mutants? No the originals are from too long ago. Perhaps their children." Gray ponders.  
  
"Can you do anything to save them?" Anita asks.  
  
"No. I sense a magical form to this ice. It will take more than heating them to save their lives." Gray responds.  
  
"Then what will save them?" Spaz asks.  
  
"I think the only one that can reverse this is the one that froze them." Gray responds.  
  
"They didn't seem like they were the type to save anybody." Spaz says frowning.  
  
"I guess that they only have 12 hours to live before they die in this state." Gray says grimly.  
  
"We can't lose them. They are the leaders. What would we do without them?" Anita asks ready to cry.  
  
"Look. Lose them or not. We are gonna have to do without them until we can get a way to bring them back." Spaz responds.  
  
"I wish I could help." Gray says.  
  
Gray looks down.  
  
"Hell I wish the whole damn anti mutant thing had never happened. I wish I and the other x-men were still a team." Gray yells out.  
  
Anita puts her arm around Gray to comfort her.  
  
"Don't worry. I believe that the day when mutants are allowed to be free will come again." Anita says.  
  
Gray looks up and smiles. But her expression changes quickly to a serious one.  
  
"Now we need to find out how we can save John and Mary before it's too late." Gray says.  
  
"Do you really think that those two might want to help them?" Spaz asks.  
  
"I got a brief reading on them. I sense that they aren't evil. They are just being used by evil." Gray responds.  
  
"Are they under a mind control?" Anita asks.  
  
"No. The one thing I am sure about is that they had their own free will. And yet they didn't want to be doing what they were doing." Gray says shaking her head.  
  
"What causes people to do something they don't want to? Kidnapping? Blackmail?" Anita ponders.  
  
A flash of inspiration happens inside Gray's mind.  
  
"That last one. Blackmail. For some reason I am getting that blackmail is the answer." Gray says.  
  
"Since they are mutants, the blackmail could simply be that they are mutants." Anita says.  
  
"We need to find them. Maybe we can convince them that we can save them from the blackmailer." Spaz says.  
  
"Here's the backup radio headset. You may be able to pick up police radio of them attacking again. I am betting that they will attack again now that the leaders of this team or out of it." Gray says.  
  
She gives the headset to Spaz.  
  
"Cool. Finally something I can use." Spaz says grinning.  
  
"Remember. If you use it against us, you will be off the team." Gray warns.  
  
"Hey I told you. I am in this to stop those guys that are wrecking this city." Spaz says.  
  
Spaz and Anita get on two X-cycles and take off for the surface. They patrol the city for awhile while Spaz listens in on the headset radio. Anita looks over at him but Spaz shakes his head. Finally after 15 minutes Spaz hears of an attack by a man and a woman in the eastern part of the town.  
  
"They're over in the eastern part of town." Spaz says.  
  
Anita nods her head and they head on over. The two aren't hard to find once Anita and Spaz hear the sound of destruction. They come upon the site of a man and a woman freezing and burning stuff.  
  
"Okay. You have frozen our leaders but we have returned." Anita says.  
  
The man and woman turn their attention to the two.  
  
"You must have a death wish. Listen we have no fight with you." The man says.  
  
"If you come to destroy the city, and it seems like you have, then you have a fight with us." Spaz says.  
  
"You don't have any idea about why we are doing this." The woman says.  
  
"Actually we do. We know that you are being blackmailed into doing this." Anita says.  
  
The man and woman stop their attack in shock.  
  
"How do you know about that?" The man asks.  
  
"We have someone that can sense things. She sensed that you were really good mutants and were being forced to do what you are doing." Anita says.  
  
"Please come with us. We know you haven't killed anyone yet. But if you don't help us, you will have killed our leaders." Spaz says.  
  
"You don't know what you are talking about. He will tell the authorities and the mutant haters that we are mutants. We will never survive after that." The woman says.  
  
"We can protect you from the authorities." Anita says.  
  
"I think we should go with them. It may be our only chance." The woman says.  
  
"Why should we trust you? According to the media you want to destroy this city." The man asks.  
  
"They set us up. Twisted our words around in the interview." Anita says.  
  
"Comeon Ifrix." The woman says.  
  
"So you are Ifrix. Are you Watrix?" Anita asks the woman.  
  
"How do you know my real names?" The Watrix asks.  
  
"Our mentor told us of a legend. Of twins with your names that control heat and cold." Anita says.  
  
"What is your mentor's name?" The Ifrix asks.  
  
"Gray is the only name we know her by." Anita says.  
  
"If they are lead by the great Gray then I say they can be trusted." The Watrix says.  
  
"Okay we will come with you. But I am not making any promises as to staying with you." The Ifrix says.  
  
Suddenly a sentinel appears out of nowhere.  
  
"So you have decided to turn on me." Magneto's voice says coming from the sentinel.  
  
"It's time you know our true power Magento." The Ifrix says.  
  
Ifrix and Watrix stand back to back and raise their hands high up in the air.  
  
"Twins combine." They both yell.  
  
They become one person glowing with energy.  
  
"We were holding back on you Magneto. We figured that if you knew our true power, you would get rid of us. Just like the X-men." Elementor says.  
  
A blast of energy shoots from their body and incinerates the sentinel easily.  
  
"You haven't heard the last of me traitors. You will regret the day you crossed me." Magneto yells.  
  
The sentinel's energy dissipates.  
  
"Hurry. Let's get you to the center before mutant suppressors show up." Anita says.  
  
Elementor splits into the separate twins. They all get on X-cycles and speed out of there and into the underground. Back at the center Watrix touches John and Mary and defrosts him. They look around confused. When they see the twins they get into a fighting stance.  
  
"What are these two doing in the center?" John asks.  
  
"It's okay. They are on our side. They were just being used by Magneto." Anita says.  
  
John stands down but still suspicious.  
  
"If you trust them Gray then I will trust them." John says.  
  
Meanwhile in an unknown location a mysterious figure lies in the dark waiting.  
  
"Magneto's plans are failing so far. He will fail eventually. I know this cause his methods are too direct and violent. My time will come in time." The figure says.  
  
  
Chapter 8: Psycho mantis  
  
"Those pesky Nex-men are getting on my nerves." Magneto says brooding in his base.  
  
"Oh poor baby. Want me to give you a back massage?" A feminine voice asks.  
  
"Yes that would be great." Magneto says.  
  
A pair of hands reach out of the darkness and surround Magneto's neck. But then they start to massage it.  
  
"Oh that is great." Magneto says smiling.  
  
Suddenly the hands grab Magneto's neck and snap it before he can even show a look of surprise. The woman steps out from the shadows. She has a gas mask on and is bald. Suddenly another Magneto steps in clapping.  
  
"Excellent. I knew you were a killer." Magneto says.  
  
"Thank you." The woman says bowing.  
  
"I always wondered why you wear that mask." Magneto says.  
  
"For two reasons. An accident left me ugly and the mask allows me to filter out the thoughts of people. I only hear which ones I want to hear." The woman responds.  
  
"Can I see your face. I bet you are still as beautiful." Magneto says reaching for the mask.  
  
"No!" The woman yells throwing his hand back.  
  
The woman shakes her head.  
  
"I am sorry for that outburst. But the only ones that can see my face are the ones I am about to kill." The woman says.  
  
"Then I hope the Nex-men enjoy your face." Magneto says laughing.  
  
"My face will be the last thing they see." The woman says.  
  
"The first thing I want you to do is find out who they really are. And any other secrets you can find." Magneto says.  
  
"Yes my lord." The woman says.  
  
The woman steps back into the shadows.  
  
"Ugh. It creeps me out when she does that." Magneto says shivering.  
  
The six are at a restaurant eating.  
  
"Glad to have you two on our team." John says.  
  
"Thanx." Watrix smiles.  
  
Ifrix just sits there.  
  
"Spaz, have you come up with anything more from than encrypted file?" John asks.  
  
Spaz shakes his head.  
  
"That file is more difficult to break open than I thought." Spaz responds.  
  
"Then we will never find out anything from it." Mary says.  
  
"Hold on there. Did I say I could not break it? No It will just take more time than I thought." Spaz says.  
  
"Ah that's good." Mary says smiling.  
  
"Now. Has anyone have had any luck on finding out where Magneto is hiding out now?" John asks.  
  
They all shake their head.  
  
"I have been scouring every bit of media I can get my hands on and this dude doesn't even exist." Spaz says.  
  
"Of course he doesn't exist. Hie exsitance would mean his end." John says.  
  
"Try looking under Magnus. That's another name he went under." Mary says.  
  
"Magnus? That little turd is really Magneto?" Spaz asks shocked.  
  
"You knew someone named Magnus?" John asks.  
  
"Hell yeah. He's the one that got me into the car theft business. I found out he was using the cars I stole as targets for his students." Spaz responds.  
  
"Students? He had students, like professor X did? If that's true then we are in deep trouble." John says shaking his head.  
  
"Why?" Mary says.  
  
"Cause if he did a school, he could of found exceptional mutants for his evil team. Just like X did to create his X-men." John responds.  
  
"Well we know that the twins were simply in it for blackmail. Could the first one, the illusion woman, be one of his students?" Mary asks.  
  
"The only ones I remember the most are the ones he sent after me. I kind of took one of the cars I was supposed to return to him. So there was one that could read minds. One that could fire liquid plastic which would harden and entrap." Spax responds.  
  
"Neither one sounds like much of a threat." Mary says.  
  
"Of course. He wouldn't risk his best on a retrieval mission." John says.  
  
Meanwhile Psycho is sitting on the roof top watching the team talking.  
  
"What secrets do you keep inside?" Psycho wonders.  
  
She tries to read them but find that she can't for some reason.  
  
"Damn. The store walls must be made of some kind of a natural psychic blocker. I will have to get them out here. Easy enough." Psycho says.  
  
She concentrates and the windows break. The team looks around and races outside.  
  
"That's it. Give me your secrets." Psycho says.  
  
All she gets from John and Mary is that John has a crush on Mary and she doesn't know about it. She gets a lot of anger from Anita over losing her neighborhood and almost her freedom. She gets the fact that Spaz was a criminal and used to work for Magneto without knowing who he really was. She doesn't get anything from the twins for some reason.  
  
"I think it's time to show them my power." Psycho says.  
  
She jumps off the roof and floats down. The team sees her and gets into a fighting stance.  
  
"Who are you?" John asks.  
  
"You do not need to know my identity. Only that I will show you the true meaning of fear." Psycho says.  
  
Before they can do anything, Psycho rushes over to John and grabs his head. When the others try to stop her, she simply uses her powers to freeze them in place.  
  
"Give me all your fears and secrets." Psycho says in a deep dark voice.  
  
John screams as his whole vision turns black. His whole life flashes before his eyes. The first use of his powers, the exile from his childhood town. The tense time in the new town as he is forced to contain his powers. Then his present appears. His being taken in by Gray and Mary. He sees something that he forgot. He once saw Gray in the light in her bedroom. One name echoes in his head.  
  
"Jean Gray."  
  
Suddenly the link is cut and he falls to the ground.  
  
"So you are hiding a X-men in your center. Magneto will be pleased." Psycho says laughing.  
  
"Oh no. He knows about Jean Gray." Mary says.  
  
"Who? Oh my god. You mean Gray is…" Spaz starts to say.  
  
"I heard that some X-men had survived but…" Anita starts to say.  
  
"I am not finished. I must kill whoever comes in contact with my mind. I cannot take a chance that he may of seen some of my secrets." Psycho says.  
  
Psycho reaches for John again, her hand glowing. The others are once again frozen. But Anita starts shaking with rage.  
  
"You leave him alone." Anita yells.  
  
Psycho is thrown back against the wall to her surprise.  
  
"So you have some mental powers yourself. But they cannot be as powerful as mine." Psycho says.  
  
Anita stands there shaking as the two fight each other. Suddenly Anita starts bleeding from the nose.  
  
"Stop it please." Mary yells.  
  
Psycho holds her other hand out and raises Mary above the ground. She then closes her fist and Mary starts choking.  
  
"No." Anita screams.  
  
Suddenly blood starts dripping from Psycho's mask.  
  
"What are you doing to me? Psycho asks.  
  
"I am protecting my friends." Anita yells.  
  
Psycho rips off her mask, revealing a horribly disfigured face that is covered with blood. Anita gasps in horror at the sight of her face. Psycho trembles and finally falls to the ground. The others also almost fall after the grip is released and Mary falls to hear knees coughing violently.  
  
"Nobody has ever beaten me before." Psycho says coughing up blood.  
  
"I'm sorry. Like I said I was just protecting ones that I care about." Anita says kneeling down by Psycho.  
  
"Can you do me one more favor?" Psycho says still coughing.  
  
"Yes. What is it?" Anita responds.  
  
"Put my mask back on. I want to die in silence. Without the noise of everybody's thoughts." Psycho says, her voice getting weaker and weaker.  
  
Anita picks up the mask and gives it to Psycho who puts it back on her face.  
  
"Thank you." Psycho says.  
  
Anita holds her hand until Psycho goes limp.  
  
Anita simply stands up and walks away.  
  
"Wait Anita. We need to get rid of this body and the we can go back to the base." John says.  
  
"Who says I am going back to the base. I don't want to be a Nex-men anymore." Anita says with tears in her eyes.  
  
"What? Why?" Mary asks.  
  
"I killed someone for the first time. And I hated it. I know she was trying to kill John and Mary. But…" Anita says.  
  
"You saved us. Doesn't that make it any better?" John asks.  
  
"Not really. Goodbye." Anita says.  
  
Anita walks off.  
  
"Anita." Mary says sadly.  
  
  
Chapter 9: And there were 5 part 1  
  
Magneto is watching the whole scene of Anita leaving the team.  
  
"Ah so one of them leaves. She has a problem with killing does she? I can change that." Magneto says.  
  
Meanwhile back at the center the team gives Jean the bad news.  
  
"I can't believe that she left us." Jean says.  
  
"I can understand her problem." Mary says.  
  
"She's in danger out there. Even if she can control her powers, the authorities might recognize her. We   
should go out and look for her." John says.  
  
"We should split up." Ifrix says.  
  
They all agree. They go to the cycle bay and jump on their own cycles then take off for the surface.   
Meanwhile Anita is back on the streets begging.  
  
"I left the only people that care about me and my only shelter. But I couldn't do what they want me to do   
anymore." Anita says tearful.  
  
A hooded figure walks into the alley where Anita is.  
  
"Come with me poor soul. I know where you can get help." The figure says.  
  
"Why should I trust you?" Anita asks suspicious.  
  
"Because I am you only hope. If you don't come with me, you will just starve and die without shelter."   
The hooded figure responds.  
  
"I can't trust you if you can't even show me your face." Anita says.  
  
The hooded figure pulls back the hood and Anita gasps.  
  
"Greg?" Anita asks.  
  
Anita flashes back to her childhood. She and her brother are playing in the backyard.  
  
"Come-on Ani. You can throw it harder than that." Anita's brother teases.  
  
Anita tries to throw it again but once again it falls short.  
  
"Na na. Sister has a rubber arm." The brother says making fun.  
  
Anita gets real angry and throws the ball so hard that it puts a hole in the tree. Her brother just sits there   
shocked.  
  
"Hey I didn't mean that hard." Anita's brother says.  
  
Anita throws it again and this time it goes right through the wall of the house and a loud crashing sound   
comes from inside.  
  
"Oh oh. You are gonna get it Ani." Anita's brother says smiling.  
  
Luckily their dad was asleep at the time but later on Anita got the beating of a lifetime. The beatings   
continued until Anita was 18.   
  
"You know you were supposed to be home by 10. It's almost midnight." Anita's dad yells.  
  
"But the bus never came and I had to wait an hour for the next one." Anita says ready to cry.  
  
"You should have called me." Her father yells.  
  
"I'm sorry." Anita says crying.  
  
Her brother is watching solemnly from inside as the not uncommon sight of a beating occurs. But what   
doesn't usually occur, occurs now. Anita's father hits her a couple of times then shoves her on the ground.   
Suddenly something inside Anita snaps and she reaches out to shove her father back. The resulting force   
sends him flying against the house and hits it with a sickening crunch.  
  
"Oh god. What have I done?" Anita asks.  
  
Her brother rushes to his dad's side.   
  
"Get away from us you freak." Her brother yells.  
  
Anita runs crying and doesn't return home. At first she lives on the street but she eventually finds help and   
gets put in a new community neighborhood. Until it is declared to be mutant loving.  
  
"It's been a long time." Anita says.  
  
"I have forgiven you for crippling our father. The man that has trained me taught me forgiveness." Greg   
says.  
  
"Who?" Anita asks confused.  
  
"I cannot tell you his name. But he is a great teacher. He wants to change the world for the better." Greg   
says.  
  
"I will go with you only cause I need shelter. But if this guy wierds me out than I want to be able to leave."   
Anita says.  
  
"You will if you want to." Greg says.  
  
Greg leads Anita away. He turns his head and puts a smile on his face. His eyes glow also.  
  
Meanwhile John pulls up just in time to see Anita walk off with Greg.  
  
"Anita wait." John yells but she doesn't seem to hear him.  
  
But before he can follow, Anita disappears. Greg turns towards John.  
  
"She is in Magnus's hands now. He will teach her his ways." Greg says in a worshipers voice.  
  
"No. She would never agree to go to him. You must have tricked her." John says.  
  
"I sense an unbeliever in you. My lord will show you his power soon. Nothing will be able to stop him."   
Greg says.  
  
Greg starts to glow and float in the air.  
  
"What the hell are you?" John asks.  
  
Greg reaches his hands into the sky and calls out to someone. Suddenly a huge beam of light strikes John   
down.  
  
"I am only the worshiper of the one and true lord. He will pave the way for mutants to rule this world."   
Greg says.  
  
"Magnus is evil. He is not the lord." John says weakly.  
  
"You are right. Magnus is not the lord. He is mearly a servant to something greater." Greg says.  
  
Greg's eyes glow with a greater intensity. John tries to fire a plasma ball but can't get enough strength.  
  
"I need help." John says into his communicator.  
  
"Yes bring the others. More sacrifices to my lord." Greg says.  
  
The sound of 4 other cycles draws near as the other nex-men arrive.  
  
"John." Mary yells as she sees John on the ground.  
  
She rushes to him but is reflected by a barrier.  
  
"You cannot stop the sacrifice to my lord." Greg says.  
  
John gasps as he is lifted into the air.  
  
"We will just see about that." Ifrix says.  
  
He fires a blast of flames at the barrier and Watrix fires ice. But it doesn't do any good. Mary focuses all   
her energy in one big blast on the energy barrier but that doesn't do any good either. John starts gasping   
for air.  
  
Mary jumps on one of the cycles and drives it right into the force field. The bike explodes and the field   
goes down.  
  
"How?" Spaz asks.  
  
"I figured out that the field is meant to resist mutant powers. The field itself isn't that powerful against   
other forces." Mary responds.  
  
They quickly focus all of their attacks on Greg. But he doesn't even flinch.  
  
"Take this sacrifice my lord." Greg says.  
  
John yells in pain. He is lifted up even higher and then suddenly disappears.  
  
"No!" Mary screams.  
  
She rushes at Greg but the others hold her back.  
  
"It's no good. He's too powerful." Spaz says.  
  
"Take me home my lord. Reward me." Greg says.  
  
Greg is lifted up and disappears himself. The others return to the center solemnly. Jean Gray sees their   
faces.  
  
"What happened? Where's John?" Jean asks.  
  
"He's gone. A very powerful mutant or something got him." Mary says crying.  
  
"No. He couldn't have died. I would have sensed it." Jean says.  
  
"Dead or not. He is gone and we have no idea where he is." Spaz says.  
  
"Where else would he be. He must be at Magneto's base." Mary says.  
  
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go get him and Anita back." Spaz says.  
  
Meanwhile at Magneto's base, Anita is strapped into a chair with vision goggles on her. The goggles are   
showing her thousands of hateful violent images of murder and death. Her fists are clenched at her sides.  
  
  
Chapter 10: And there were 5 part 2  
  
Anita is standing in a dark room. Sounds of a scuffle come from outside the room and the door opens up. Mary rushes in.  
  
"Anita, thank god we have found you. Let's get out of here." John says.  
  
Anita turns towards Mary and scowls at him.  
  
"What's wrong?" Mary asks.  
  
Anita reaches out her hand and clenches a fist. Suddenly Mary starts gasping for air.  
  
"Anita." Mary gasps.  
  
Anita closes her fist and a snapping sound occurs as she breaks Mary's neck. Mary collapses to the ground motionless. A metal room replaces a loud clapping sounds and the dark room. Magneto is watching from the control room.  
  
"Excellent. How do you feel about killing one of your own team?" Magneto asks.  
  
"They aren't my team anymore. They made me do something that I didn't like. I feel just fine." Anita responds smiling.  
  
"Excellent." Magneto says smiling himself.  
  
Meanwhile the Nex-men are standing outside of the base.  
  
"What should we do?" Mary asks.  
  
"First off we should stop standing around." Spaz says.  
  
Spaz reaches out and touches the door. The door clicks and slides open. The guards on the other side are startled and Mary blasts them.  
  
Mary blows on her fingers.  
  
"No problem." Mary says smiling.  
  
They rush in and take a look around. Spaz goes over to a terminal and places him hand on it. The screen comes to life and a map appears.  
  
"It looks like the holding cells are to the north." Spaz says.  
  
"If they are holding her there. Something tells me that they took her for a more sinister reason then just to get to us." Mary says.  
  
"Well I say that the holding area is the place we should look first." Anita says.  
  
The others nod. As they approach a shot rings out that nearly hits Mary. Watrix scans and sees a sniper.  
  
"How dare you shoot at my friend?" Watrix says.  
  
She fires a blast of ice at the sniper. The sniper falls to the ground and shatters. They rush to the cell area and find Anita. Anita looks up.  
  
"Oh thank god you are here." Anita says.  
  
Spaz touches the keypad and unlocks the cell. Anita steps out and follows them to the main section. Suddenly Mary gets thrown violently against the wall. The others get into a defensive stance looking for whoever attacked her. Watrix suddenly starts choking and everybody finds that Anita is the one that's doing it all.  
  
"Anita what are you doing?" Mary asks.  
  
"You made me do something I didn't want to do. Now I work for a new master. He doesn't make me do things I don't like." Anita says.  
  
"Magneto is evil. How could you work for him?" Mary asks.  
  
"He cares about me." Anita says.  
  
She releases Watrix.  
  
"Let them go. They know that you are on my side now. That's what I wanted." Magneto says.  
  
"Leave now. You will never have me back." Anita says.  
  
Ifrix starts after her but Watrix holds him back.  
  
"Let's go. There is nothing we can do for her right now. If we stay here then the only thing that can happen is our deaths." Watrix says.  
  
The others agree and leave. They return to the center sadly.  
  
"What happened? Where's Anita?" Jean Gray asks.  
  
"Magneto has changed her somehow. She is working for him." Mary responds.  
  
"I can't believe that she is lost to us. There must be a way to get to her." Jean Gray says.  
  
Jean walks around in thought. She goes to her room and sits on her bed. Suddenly something goes through her head. She runs into a closet and pushes a button. The back wall opens up and she walks into a vast chamber.  
  
"Cerebro. I haven't used you in a long time. Not since the professor died." Jean Gray says.  
  
She puts on the helmet and turns the machine on. She is startled when the professor's face appears in her head.  
  
"I left this message to whoever would use cerebro again. I knew that it would be needed again someday." The professor says.  
  
Jean eyes tear up.  
  
"If this is Jean then my message is that it wasn't your fault that I died. It was inevitable." The professor says.  
  
Jean remembers his death. He was able to keep his powers a secret. The only problem the mutant haters had was that he helped mutants. He was banned from all aspects of society. Jean remembers seeing the professor after he was banished. He seemed so hopeless.   
  
"As long as my X-men are still out there then there is still hope that this will end." The professor says.  
  
"I doesn't look good." Jean says.  
  
The professor turns the TV on and sees something that shocked him.  
  
"News flash. The team known as the X-men has been captured trying to destroy one of the city's biggest mutant suppression centers. They have been suppressed but the president has called for a special announcement. We will take you there now." The news reporter says.  
  
The president appears on screen.  
  
"I have an important announcement to make. With the attack by the X-men on suppression center, I have declared that all dangerous mutants are to be destroyed. The X-men themselves will be destroyed as soon as they are interrogated to make sure we have them all. I'd like to introduce the one person that made the capture possible." The president says.  
  
Gambit steps up to the podium.  
  
"This is the man that was responsible. He was a X-men but he betrayed them." The president says.  
  
Gambit bows to applause and walks off camera. Unseen by the camera, Gambit changes to mystique and laughs. The rest of the day the professor still holds hope as long as his students are still alive. Those hopes are smashed later that day.  
  
"We bring you live coverage of the execution of the X-men." The reporter says.  
  
The professor watches in shock as all the X-men are executed one by one. Scott is last. His last words are to yell out Jean's name.  
  
"Scott!" Jean says touching the screen.  
  
"So there are other X-men out there. I am betting that this Jean is a yet un-captured X-men. But rest assured that we will find this mutant." The president says.  
  
"Jean. Get out of here. They will find you here. This will be the first place they look since I was the teacher of the X-men." The professor says.  
  
"I won't leave you here." Jean says.  
  
"Go!" The professor yells.   
  
He stands up and stumbles from his chair.  
  
"Please." The professor.  
  
"I will see you again. I promise." Jean says on her way out.  
  
Jean's cries when she remembers what happened next.  
  
"Professor Xavier has been found dead in his mansion. When the mutant suppression people went there to find Jean the missing mutant, they found the professor dead. Coroners are saying that he died of natural causes." The news reporter says.  
  
"They say he died of old age. He lived for a century and was fit as a fiddle. He didn't die of old age, he died cause all hope was lost. He had no will to live." Jean says.  
  
"I am leaving the hands of all future hope to you Jean. Goodbye." The professor says than disappears.  
  
"Goodbye and thank you." Jean says.  
  
Jean makes herself get back to the task at hand.  
  
"I have to find Anita and get her back." Jean says.  
  
Jean finds Magneto's headquarters and zeroes in on Anita.  
  
"Anita. It's me Jean." Jean says.  
  
"Leave me alone. I don't want your team." Anita says.  
  
"You don't have to return to the Nex-men. You just can't be with Magneto. He doesn't want what's best for you." Jean says.  
  
"No. You lie. Magneto loves me." Anita says.  
  
"Remember. Magneto is on the side of the mutant haters. The ones that destroyed your neighborhood and left you homeless." Jean says.  
  
"No he isn't. He is only pretending to be on their side. He has plans." Anita says.  
  
Suddenly Magneto jumps in.  
  
"You will not find out about my plans." Magneto says.  
  
Jean rips off the helmet with a scream of pain. She walks back out. The others look at her.  
  
"I can't get to her. Magneto is too powerful inside of her. Though she started to say something about how Magneto has his own plans for something." Jean says.  
  
"Where's Spaz?" Jean asks.  
  
"He left. Said he was gonna think." Mary says.  
  
Meanwhile Anita is standing in a room thinking.  
  
"What are you doing here my pet?" Magneto asks.  
  
"She was right. Wasn't she? You are just using me also." Anita says.  
  
"Don't listen to her. She is lying to you to get you to return to them." Magneto says.  
  
"She is not a liar. She was one of the original X-men. She is good. You are bad." Anita says.  
  
She stares at Magneto and he starts to sweat. He focuses and lessons the pressure.  
  
"You helped those mutant haters ruin my life. For that I will destroy you." Anita yells.  
  
"I have a much stronger mind than you. You do not stand a chance against me." Magneto says.  
  
"You forget. You made me more powerful." Anita says.  
  
She raises up her hand and closes her fist. Magneto suddenly finds himself choking.  
  
"No this cannot be." Magneto gasps out.  
  
He reaches out for his mind-blocking helmet but before he can reach it, he collapses from lack of air.  
  
"Your rein of evil is over. This place is going down." Anita says.  
  
She rushes out of the building and throws energy blasts everywhere. Finally outside she concentrates hard and brings down the whole building.  
  
"It's over." Anita says.  
  
She returns to the center to everybody's surprise.  
  
"Oh my god. Welcome back Anita." Mary says.  
  
"I am not the same Anita you knew. I will help you but only to get rid of the mutant haters. Magneto is dead. I destroyed his building with him in it." Anita says.  
  
The others gasp.  
  
"I don't think that Magneto could be killed that easily." Jean says.  
  
In the wreckage of the main headquarters, nothing moves. But suddenly a hand reaches out of the rubble and grasps its fist.  
  
  
Chapter 11: The messiah  
  
Among the rubble of Magneto's fortes, a hand rises out of the rubble and clenches its fist. Suddenly in an explosion of energy someone shoots out of the rubble and floats in mid air.  
  
"Those Nex-men have foiled my plot again. It's time to implement my final plan." Magneto says.  
  
Meanwhile back at the center, Anita is doing some more training to make sure she is okay. She does still have strong powers but something is definitely not right with her. A target appears.  
  
"Arghhh." Anita yells.  
  
She focuses so hard that the target explodes. Mary and Jean Gray are watching in the other room.  
  
"She is not the same Anita that we knew before. Magneto has changed her forever." Jean says.  
  
"We need to find John. I sense that he is in great danger." Mary says.  
  
"The only thing I can think of how to find him is with cerebro but I have never used it twice in such a short time." Jean says.  
  
"I know you can do it Jean. You have a strong mind." Mary says.  
  
Mary's words give Jean new hope and she enters the cerebro chamber. She puts it on and concentrates.  
  
"John. Where are you?" Jean reaches out her mind.  
  
She searches everywhere but can't find him. After a half an hour of searching, she gives up. She returns to the main area with a sad look on her face.  
  
"You couldn't find him even with cerebro? He's dead." Mary says crying.  
  
"No. I would have sensed his death. It's like someone or something is blocking his mind from my probing. That mind would have to be more powerful than mine or I could break through." Jean says.  
  
John is in a dark room strapped to a table.  
  
"What do you want with me?" John yells.  
  
"It's not what I want with you. But what my lord wants with you. He will return soon and you will be the sacrifice." A male voice responds.  
  
"My team will come to save me. And they will teach your lord a lesson." John says.  
  
"I don't think so. Our messiah has a very strong mind and is blocking your mind from you team. They will never find you." The voice says.  
  
"You're lying. The only person that had a stronger mind than she is dead." John says.  
  
John struggles but the bonds are too strong. The light goes off again and John contemplates. After awhile the light comes back on and John is forcibly taken out of his bonds by a big man. He is lead into a room with some equipment.  
  
"What do you want with me now?" John asks.  
  
"To be a sacrifice you must be weakened." A voice says.  
  
John is strapped into the machine. The big man steps to the side and a small man with glasses steps in. He steps up to the panel.  
  
"Do you forsake your god and promise to worship ours?" The man asks.  
  
"What? Hell no." John says.  
  
The man throws the switch and John screams in pain.   
  
"Why should I worship a god that would do this to someone?" John asks.  
  
"The moment of selection for this species is coming. You will be on one side or the other." The man says.  
  
"Selection? What the hell are you talking about?" John asks.  
  
"Apocalypse is coming." The man says.  
  
Hearing that name makes John's blood run cold.  
  
"Then I will definitely not worship that fiend." John says.  
  
The man frowns and throws the switch. John screams in pain again and doesn't stop until he loses consciousness. A robed figure walks in.  
  
"I see that he refused to forsake his god." The figure says.  
  
"No unfortunately." The glasses man says.  
  
"When the great one comes, all disbeliveers will forsake or they will die." The figure says raising his hands up.  
  
The robed figure walks back out and the glasses man leaves. The only one left is the muscle guy to watch on John. Later on John wakes up and finds himself in the room again. But his bonds are loose. He gets up and rushes out the open door. He beats up the guards and rushes outside.  
  
"Help me team." John yells.  
  
Meanwhile back at the center Jean looks up.  
  
"It's him. I am sensing John. I know where he is now." Jean says.  
  
The Nex-men get in their disguises and turn towards Jean. She concentrates.  
  
"He's at the abandoned church. Go get him." Jean says.  
  
"That was too easy. Be ready for anything." Mary says.  
  
Meanwhile John is dragged back inside.  
  
"Thank you for helping us get your team here." The glasses man says.  
  
"What? You mean you let me escape so they could find me?" John says.  
  
"What do you think?" The glasses man says smiling.  
  
Suddenly the robed man steps inside. He pulls back his hood to reveal Anita's brother Greg.  
  
"You. You are the one that took me." John says.  
  
"Watch what you say to the messiah. He is the chosen one to bring back the great apocalypse." The glasses man says.  
  
"Are you nuts? Apocalypse will just destroy you all when he comes back. You are just dooming yourselves." John yells.  
  
"How dare you badmouth our lord. He will bring a change to this world." Greg says.  
  
"Yeah and it won't be good for humanity." John says.  
  
"If humanity deserves a bad change then that is what will happen." Greg says.  
  
"You are all nuts." John says disgusted.  
  
A loud explosion rocks the building.  
  
"There's my team. Now you will regret taking me." John says.  
  
"The time has come to bring our lord back to this world." Greg says.  
  
They all file out leaving John. The five Nex-men are standing looking around. Anita is in a fighting pose until she sees Greg.  
  
"Greg." Anita says.  
  
"Hello my sister. You have come in time to see a change in this world." Greg says.  
  
"Where is John." Mary yells.  
  
"Right here." John says.  
  
He flings balls of quantum energy at the guards. They all get knocked down but Greg's energy field reflects them.  
  
"Look he is coming." Greg says.  
  
The Nex-men look up in horror at a vortex.  
  
"Come my lord." Greg yells.  
  
The Nex-men start focusing all of their attacks on Greg but they still can't punch through his energy field. Apocalypse's face appears in the vortex.  
  
"Ah soon I will be free again. This world will be bathed in fire." Apocalypse says.  
  
Anita suddenly runs at Greg with all her might and knocks him down to the ground.  
  
"Now do something John." Anita yells.  
  
John looks up as apocalypse is almost completely freed. He concentrates to make the biggest quantum rip ever. Then all the others fire their weapons at him.   
  
"You fools. Your weapons are useless against me." Apocalypse says.  
  
He is distracted enough to be sucked into the vortex.  
  
"NO! I will not be defeated." Apocalypse yells.  
  
Suddenly the whole church starts to warp.  
  
"Let's get out of here. The whole church is being pulled into the vortex." John yells.  
  
They rush out. Meanwhile back in the church, Greg stands up and looks at Apocalypse.  
  
"No. Don't go my lord." Greg yells.  
  
Suddenly a beam of energy hits Greg and envelops him. Then the church disappears in a suck of energy.  
  
"Greg." Anita says sadly.  
  
"The brother you knew was gone when he joined that place." John says.  
  
In the quantum vortex Greg floats around in the void. His eyes glow with energy.  
  
"I may be trapped in this vortex but I have a body again. It will be a matter of time before I escape this vortex and the world will feel my wrath." Apocalypse says.  
  
  
Chapter 12: A last hope.  
  
A news flash is on the TV.  
  
"With the current problems with the mutant population, the president has announced a conference. We take you there now." A reporter says.  
  
"The latest attacks by mutants have shown us all that they are too dangerous. I am considering passing a bill that will outlaw all mutants from this country. It will be up to the other countries to do the same and I hope they will." The president says.  
  
The reporters go wild with flashing cameras and questions.  
  
"Are you sure this isn't a pretty drastic solution?" A reporter asks.  
  
"No I do not. I believe that everybody is in danger because of the mutants. Adults and children." The president says.  
  
The reporters all murmur among themselves. The TV gets turned off.  
  
"Okay it's obvious that are rights are being violated even more. It looks like it's a very good chance that we won't even be able to stay in this country for much longer. What can we do about this?" Jean asks.  
  
"The mutant hating coalition is being lead by Magnus. Who is really Magneto, a mutant? If we can expose him as one than that could cripple it and give us some more time." John responds.  
  
"But how can we force him to use his powers in public. He wouldn't dare cause he knows that he would be crucified if they found out." Mary says.  
  
"I have ways." Anita says smiling sadistically.  
  
"So the next step is to find out where he plans to speak next." John says.  
  
I thought I heard that he was gonna talk at a conference later today." Mary says.  
  
Looks like that conference is gonna have six more people than they thought." Anita says smiling.  
  
They all get in disguise and head on over to the place where the conference is happening. They find a place in the back of the audience.  
  
"I have an idea to make sure that everybody here and watching TV will know the truth." John says.  
  
He whispers to Spaz and a wicked smile appears on Spaz's face. He nods and goes into the camera room.  
  
"What are you doing back here?" The operator asks.  
  
"Just here to make sure everybody sees what they need to see." Spaz says.  
  
"What?" The operator says.  
  
Spaz punches the operator out.  
  
"Damn punching hurts." Spaz says shaking his fist.  
  
He locks the door and sits down in front of the monitor. Magnus begins his speech.  
  
"My name is Magnus and as you know I am the leader of the anti-mutant coalition. We fully support the president's initiative to deport all mutants from this country." Magnus says.  
  
The audience goes crazy.  
  
"We have existed since the very first exposure of the existence of mutants and we have always been against them. Even when the public was nothing more than afraid." Magnus says.  
  
Meanwhile Anita is sneaking her way towards the front.  
  
"I only wish that this initiative was done along time ago. Instead of the mutant suppression initiative we should have just thrown them out of the country." Magnus says.  
  
"Excuse me. Can I ask you a question?" Anita asks.  
  
"Uh yeah." Magnus says.  
  
"Isn't it true that someone in your ranks is a mutant?" Anita asks.  
  
The audience gasps.  
  
"Of course that is not true. We hate mutants. Why would we have one in our group." Magnus responds.  
  
"What if the others in the group don't know that the person is a mutant." Anita asks.  
  
The audience goes wild.  
  
"That's not true. I ought to sue you for slander." Magnus yells angry.  
  
"Come-on admit it. You and your group are a bunch of mutant lovers." Anita yells.  
  
"Mutant lover. Why don't you marry one?" John yells from the back.  
  
"Shut up." Magnus says clenching the podium so hard that his knuckles turn white.  
  
Suddenly the camera picture change to show someone holding up a picture of Magnus and he puts it together with a picture of one of the Nex-men.  
  
"Kissie kissie." Spaz says.  
  
Magnus slams his fists on the podium so hard that it breaks.  
  
"I will sue you all." Magnus screams.  
  
"He loves mutants so much that he makes love to them." Mary says.  
  
She ducks as the microphone flies at her. But she has done the damage.  
  
"Look. He is a mutant. He just flung something with his hand. No normal could do that." Mary says.  
  
The whole audience starts booing and throwing stuff on stage. Magnus finally just sheds his whole disguise and becomes Magneto. He floats off stage and brings up a magnetic field.  
  
"So what if I am a mutant. I am more powerful than any of you. I should be the ruler of you all." Magneto yells.  
  
He looks to see the whole thing is being televised with a close up. He flings a magnetic blast and blows up the TV.  
  
"Get out of here freak." A man yells.  
  
The TV screen changes to show Spaz again.   
  
"So long Magneto." Spaz smiles.  
  
Magneto roars in rage and blasts his way out of the conference. Meanwhile on TV a news reporter is reporting.  
  
"A major blow has been delt to the anti mutant coalition today when it was revealed that the leader was in fact one of the most dangerous mutants of all, Magneto." The reporter says.  
  
Meanwhile the Nex-men are escaping from the conference hall.  
  
"Where's Spaz?" John looks around.  
  
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since he was in the broadcast room." Mary responds.  
  
They leave. Magneto is sitting in a hidden part of the conference center. It's over for me. Damn those Nex-men. It's time to implement my secret plan that will make these normals pay." Magneto says.  
  
"I know where to get their leader. That should put a huge blow on their team." A voice says.  
  
"You know where Jean Gray is?" Magneto asks.  
  
"Yes." The voice says.  
  
A figure steps out of the dark. It's Spaz.  
  
  
Chapter 13: Endgame.  
  
"How dare you come to me after ruining my plans." Magneto says to Spaz angrily.  
  
"I only did that to make them think I was still on their side. But I want to help you. I help you by giving the location of Jean Gray." Spaz says.  
  
Magneto gets up and flares his Magnetic field. Spaz braces himself but Magneto doesn't touch him and instead flies out of the room and outside.  
  
"There's the rogue mutant. Kill it." An officer says.  
  
A bunch of energy weapons fire at Magneto but his field easily absorbs him.  
  
"You can't defeat me like just any old mutant. I am the most powerful mutant there is." Magneto says.  
  
He reaches out his hand but pulls it back.  
  
"I don't need you. I have other plans to implement. Enjoy your life on this planet cause it's about to end." Magneto says.  
  
He flies away and the energy weapons keep on firing until he goes out of range. He flies into the center and breaks through the room.  
  
"Magneto." Jean gasps.  
  
"It's been a long time Ms. Gray." Magneto grins.  
  
He grasps his hands out and wraps Jean up in metal then takes her out. Just as they fly out the Nex-men arrive and find the hole in the roof.  
  
"Jean." John yells.  
  
Magneto takes her to the ruins of his base.  
  
"I had something waiting underneath the earth for a time like this to come. The time has come for me to take over as the rightful ruler of this world." Magneto says.  
  
"You will never get away with this. My team will defeat you." Jean says.  
  
Magneto ignores her and concentrates really hard. He then rises his hand. Suddenly a loud tremor shakes the earth and a huge hole appears. Out of it rises a huge tower with a landmass under it. It rises to a high part in the sky and stays there. Magneto flies up and into the tower with Jean in tow.   
  
"I have just the weapon this world needs. And I just happen to need a powerful mind other than my own to power it." Magneto says.  
  
"Where could they be?" John asks.  
  
They all look up to see the floating tower.  
  
"I would guess there." Anita says.  
  
"But how are we gonna get up there?" Mary asks.  
  
John motions them to follow him.  
  
"I once found this secret hanger. I thought that it was destroyed along with the X-men." John says.  
  
They enter the hanger and everybody gasps at the sight of the X-jet.  
  
"Wow. I remember seeing that when I was a little girl." Anita says.  
  
"And now it is being used by another generation of X-mutants." John says.  
  
They all get in the X-jet and sit in the many seats. John takes the controls. He pushes a button and the ceiling opens up. John starts up the engine and lifts straight up.  
  
"Wow. I have never flown in anything before." Anita says.  
  
"Okay before we go I want to make sure that we all know that we are about to face our greatest threat of them all. We are not facing any regular mutants. Magneto was one of the first mutants. He has had a much longer time to get powerful. But I know we can do it if we work together." John says.  
  
"It's about time I take my problems out on one of the people responsible." Anita says punching her open hand.  
  
"We were always sworn to protect the world from evil." Watrix says.  
  
Ifrix nods in agreement.  
  
"Magneto will taste my energy blasts and won't like them at all." Mary says.  
  
John pushes the stick forward and heads for the floating tower. Meanwhile Magneto is at the control room with Jean hooked up to a control center. An alarm goes off and Magneto sees the X-jet flying at it.  
  
"So they are using that old thing. I can't have them getting here that easily." Magneto says.  
  
The X-jet rocks with weapons fire.  
  
"Damn it. He's firing on us. I can dodge it but not for long." John says.  
  
"Get us as close as we can. We can jump out if we have to." Mary says.  
  
John dodges but just as they reach the tower a blast hits the main engines and the X-jet starts to fall apart.  
  
"Abandon ship." John yells.  
  
They all jump out and fall to the ground at the base of the tower. They all turn to see the X-jet fall flaming to the ground. John and Mary find themselves tearing up at the loss of an old friend.  
  
"Thank you." Mary says.  
  
"Oh man. Look how tall this thing is." Anita says.  
  
"We need to get up there fast. Something tells me that Magneto has something else planned and soon." John says.  
  
They enter the tower and start racing up the stairs. Suddenly guns start firing from the walls. One hits Anita and knocks her down.  
  
"Watch it." Anita says.  
  
Mary heals Anita and they continue up the stairs.   
  
"What are you up to Magneto?" Jean asks.  
  
"This weapon will kill only normals. I plan to use it on Washington D.C." Magneto says.  
  
"No!" Jean yells.  
  
Magneto throws the switch and Jean screams as her energy is directed. Meanwhile the Nex-men are about halfway up. They are surprised when they reach a floor and no more steps.  
  
"This isn't the top." John says.  
  
Suddenly a bunch of sentinels show up.  
  
"Damn." John yells.  
  
Mary starts flinging blast after blast of energy at the sentinels but they keep getting back up.  
  
"Anita." Mary yells.  
  
Anita focuses her rage on the sentinels and blows up a couple but can't get the rest for some reason.  
  
"Why can't you get them all?" Mary asks.  
  
"I don't know." Anita responds.  
  
She tries again and gets half of them but not all of them.  
  
"Something is wrong here. No matter how many times I try, I can only get half." Anita says.  
  
She keeps on trying until there is only one and then finds she can't get it at all.  
  
"Something is weird about this." Mary says.  
  
John tries to bring up a vortex but can't.  
  
Suddenly Mary shoots at an empty space and destroys a machine.   
  
"They were an illusion." Mary says.  
  
The steps appear out of nowhere and they all races up them.  
  
"It's time to fire the weapon." Magneto says to a limp Jean.   
  
He reaches out to push the button but a quantum blast blows his hand away.  
  
"I don't think so Magneto." John says.  
  
Magneto reaches for the button again but Anita focuses all her hatred and holds him back.  
  
"You will not stop me this time." Magneto says.  
  
Everybody flings his or her powers at Magneto while Anita is holding him. They all hit him and bring him to his knees.  
  
"This time I will not stop until you are dead." Anita says.  
  
Magneto gasps for air and his face turns blue. Suddenly a piece of machinery strikes Anita in the back breaking her hold. The others spin around.  
  
"Spaz. What happened to you?" John asks.  
  
"I don't work for you anymore. I work for Magneto." Spaz says smiling.  
  
Magneto quickly puts on his helmet.  
  
"There now this helmet will block any mind blasts you give me." Magneto says.  
  
Magneto snaps his fingers and they all appear on the ground all of a sudden.  
  
"Like it? It's a transporter of sorts. I decided that our battle should be in a bit more of an open arena." Magneto says.  
  
The others see that Jean is slumped on the ground.  
  
"And now a reward for helping me." Magneto says turning to Spaz.  
  
He reaches forward and crushes Spaz's neck.  
  
"What? Why?" Spaz asks hoarsely.  
  
"Did you really think I'd forget what you did to me as an Nex-men?" Magneto responds smiling.  
  
He turns back to the Nex-men.  
  
"It's time to finish you off for good." Magneto says.  
  
He raises his hand up and suddenly a huge block of metal slams John against the wall. Mary tries to fling energy bolts at Magneto but finds a roll of metal that starts crushing her. Watrix freezes a piece of metal but all it does it freeze her to it. Ifrix fires on another metal but the resulting molten metal envelop him in a burning pain. Anita tries to attack Magneto but can't cause of his helmet. He starts to choke her to death.  
  
"It's over. You are nothing like the X-men. It's an insult to them that you would name yourselves anything like their name." Magneto laughs.  
  
He looks down in pain as a large shard of metal spears through his chest. He looks around to see Spaz holding the metal and ramming it through his back.  
  
"And this is my way of paying you back." Spaz says weakly.  
  
He then falls to the ground dead. The other Nex-men are freed and Watrix puts out the molten fire. Magneto is bending down to his knees and blood is flowing from his wound.  
  
"How could…" Magneto starts to ask.  
  
"Cause you were so arrogant that you never thought the man that just helped you would turn on you." John says tiredly.  
  
"This isn't over. I can heal myself. I will be ba.." Magneto starts to say.  
  
His face starts to contort in pain and a pair of hands is now on his sides. Jeans hands.  
  
"No your long reign of terror is over at last. You have hurt good mutants and good humans for the last time." Jean says.  
  
Magneto falls to the ground motionless.  
  
"What did you do to him?" John asks.  
  
"His mind was weakened by the injury. I was able to destroy it. It's a very ugly power that Xavier and me had. We hoped we would never have to use it." Jean says.  
  
"It's over." John says.  
  
Suddenly a blast of energy strikes Jean in the back and she slumps to the ground bleeding.  
  
"A X-mutant has been discovered. Execution in process." An officer says.  
  
John races over and grabs Jean then they all teleport away and into the center. Mary looks over Jean.  
  
"She is losing too much blood. I am afraid there is nothing I can do. If she wasn't already drained from the weapon, she might have a chance." Mary says sadly.  
  
"No don't leave us. We still need you." John says crying.  
  
"No you don't. I knew this day would come. I was working to the point where you would not need me anymore. That time has come. You are a great team. Don't listen to what Magneto told you. You are worthy of the name X-men." Jean says.  
  
Jean groans.  
  
"Thank you." Mary says crying.  
  
Jean goes limp. The others cry in mourning.  
  
"We will make you proud." Anita says.  
  
Mary closes Jean's eyes and covers her body with a sheet. Meanwhile elsewhere a shadowy figure gets the news of Magneto's death.  
  
"So he has finally been defeated. I knew that it would happen eventually cause his methods were too violent. I will succeed where he failed using stealth." The figure says.  
  
A symbol flashes on his uniform. An X.  
  
The end.  
  



End file.
